Unexpected alliances
by TiLiYu
Summary: When you want Conan and Kaitou Kid to work together, kidnapping Aoko is a good idea... And the more, the merrier ! Heiji and Hakuba are also coming to help, to what will turn out to be a fight to death against the Black Organization... Will the Gosho Boys and their allies be able to win ?
1. Heist Arc - Chapter 1 - Busted

**To introduce a bit this story, I used the manga basis (careful of spoilers if you're afraid of them) and went according to my imagination.**

**The main characters will be Conan and Heiji, co-main will be Kaito and Saguru. I'll stick to canon (or almost canon) pairings.**

**The first arc of this story is already pretty much written but I plan to continue after publishing this part.**

**As you may see, I'm not a native English speaker, so I apologize in advance for the mistakes you may spot...**

**Have fun reading and thanks for visiting !**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 1 : Busted<span>**

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><p>"- Come on, once again, where is it?" asked Vodka with a menacing glare to the pretty battered man in front of him.<p>

" - I'll ... enjoy from hell ... the sight of you all being pissed... because of me..." he answered, breathing heavily .

"- Then blame only yourself for being a stupid man...", Gin said, "... and see you in hell."

The sound of the gunshot echoed through the abandonned building and the middle aged man's hard breathing stopped, his head falling on his shoulder.

"- Let's get out of here", ordered Gin while walking towards the exit

"- But what do we do of him, Aniki ? And how do we find It now ?"

"- Never mind that guy, this place is supposed to be demolished in two days, no one will ever find him. As to "it", we had a plan B... speaking of the Devil", said the long haired man, taking out his phone.

"- Yea ?

- Did you got anything from our friend about the card ?" said the warm voice of Vermouth

"- Nope, he decided he preferred to be buried with his damn secret...

- Or you and your brute were maybe a bit too harsh about the questioning ?" she smirked

"- At least we do something more for the Boss than just hanging around in frilly disguises...

- Well those FRILLY disguises did more than your gun today it seems, I got the card location.

- ...", he paused, impressed reluctantly at the disguise master. "Where ?

- It won't be easy, it looks like hiding the company's information in jewellery for our lil' exchanges with foreign subsidiaries wasn't a good idea after all, have fun remind that fact to Bourbon...

- Yea, I will do that... ", he said with a vicious grin.

"- So the bracelet with the card ended in the hands of a famous songstress, as a gift from a devoted anonymous fan.

- Already sounds annoying.

- Cherry on the cake, the girl is followed 24/7 by paparazzo's, when she's not on stage and doesn't leave her new favourite accessory...

- ... you said that word on purpose, right ?

- Don't be pissed at me, my dear, if you have things to settle with your former girlfriend, you shouldn't involve other people", she teased him.

"- I will so much kill you once the Boss won't so fond of you anymore..." he growled with a threatening tone.

"- Keep the sweet talk for later, you got a new mission, from Him.

- Spit it.

- We arranged you a date, with some old acquaintances, specialized in hunting the best Jewel Thief in Japan. They probably can get us some hints to find a leverage and get him to work for us.

- The ones who after the Kid ? You mean I got to work with the goofies believing in eternal youth thanks to a stone ?

- Exactly... Though, as much of a myth it may seem, eternal youth was a common goal before our companies splitted off... We just decided that it was safer to trust drugs and sciences than doublet jewels and full moon folktales...

- For eternal youth, you seem to prefer make up, oldie.

- Could do you some good, to hide that love wound under the eye your "Koibito" gave you.

- Enough of that... Send me date and place through mail", he answered while hanging up angrily.

_"Fucking annoying woman...",_ Gin thought, pocketing his phone. He couldn't understand Boss' decision to protect her... She was so full of herself, liked to piss everyone by pressing their buttons and was too much of a freelancer for the sake of the Company. If one day he just could...

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><p>"- Kaito !" Aoko exclaimed while having her skirt once again flipped by a certain self-declared amazing magician.<p>

"- Fishes ? Are you trying to kill me, Aoko ?" Kuroba couldn't refrain a chill at the panties' sight.

"- Revenge !" She laughed.

"- Oh that's pretty low of..."

"- SILENCE ! the teacher roared. This is school and we're in a middle of a lesson so will you please sit down and listen ! "

Kaito and Aoko exchanged a "that's your fault" look before calming down.

Kuroba let his mind wander once more, trying to replace the little uneasy feeling he was having since the previous day. He couldn't see who but he felt like being watched, all his "kaitou" senses were on alert. He was used to Hakuba's eyes right on his neck but there hadn't be any hostile intents in that look. Maybe sometimes annoyance... well a lot of time, it was so fun and easy to tease him ! But it was nothing compared to that heavy sensation he was having just now. He hadn't Akako's foretelling gift but at least he could tell something bad was coming right at him and he didn't like the thought.

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><p>Amuro let his goggles off his eyes to rub them and bit into a sandwich. He adjusted his ear plug to hear the 2 men conversing.<p>

"- Hey, Jii-chan, how are you doing ? Aren't you supposed to have customers in here ?

- It's only 4 pm, Kaito-bochama, still 2 hours to go before Blue Parrot's opening, remember ?

- Just you and me then ! Can I have a double choco ?

- This is not a fancy Gelateria you know... "

_How long will I have to watch that selfish child ?_

The agent could still remember Gin's voice 2 days ago : "You screwed up, go and find a way to clean your mess, Mr Useless detective". So he had to work from the only intel Gin could get from their "sister" organization. The first bit was that the Kid was a man named Kuroba Touichi. The second part was that they tried to kill him 8 years ago and thought for a while they succeeded, the fact that the man never reappeared after seemed to confirm it . But 6 months ago, Kid showed off once again, looking exactly the same, from the disguise mastering to the childish games with the police, and the arrogance of a man sure of his skills. Of course, Kuroba was still nowhere to be found but, after a murder attempt, who wouldn't hide ? The second possibility was that the man was really dead and someone else took up the torch.

Bourbon decided to follow the Kuroba's trail. The only visible link to him was his son, a 16 year old boy apparently fond of pranks and magic tricks, like father, like son they say. In spite of better tracks, Bourbon decided to follow the teen, maybe he was still in touch with his father. He left a few bugs, in his home, at school and at a bar the kid seemed to like to kill some time. As a detective, tailing someone was a second nature, he was indeed the man of the situation.

"- By the way, I had the improvement you requested on the gun", said the old man.

Amuro jumped to his goggles once again. A gun ? To an underage ? In Japan ? THAT was suspicious.

"- Ah good", thanked the teen. He raised the gun to his eyes level and pulled the trigger. A card appeared in a faint "plop" and stucked right into the dart board on the opposite wall.

"- Push the button on the side of the grip to make it explode at will"

Kaito pushed the said button and the card disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"- Not bad", he smiled, "please give my thanks to your technician !"

Bourbon's jaw dropped. A card gun ? Only one person in Japan had a weapon like that... How ridiculous was his luck to find Kid's heir in such a short time ? How could that cop in charge of Kid's investigation miss the fact that his nemesis was the boy next door, the very one who was fooling around with his own daughter? He still had one check to perform but then... He smiled to himself : a leverage for a teenage boy wasn't hard to imagine and, after a 2-days watch, he just knew exactly where to find one.


	2. Heist Arc - Chapter 2 - The heist

**Hi there, it's me again ! **

**I decided to publish those 2 chapters at the same time, since they are the introduction of the whole story.  
><strong>**You may have an idea of my writing style after reading those 2, like it or not ; )**

**Have fun reading and thanks for coming ! **

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><p><strong>Chapter 2 : The heist <strong>

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><p>"- Oï oï, what are you implying, Jodie-sensei ?" asked the pint sized bespectacled detective. "Sensitive information ?<p>

- That's exactly what I said. Kir was categorical about that, we're speaking about really important data about the Company here..." explained the FBI agent." But the whole thing is turning into a Kid's heist and since you're quite gifted to plan his every move, we thought you may be able to get your hands on it..."

Conan looked through Kogoro's office window, trying to calm himself and not to get too much excited about what he was hearing. He knew that a call from Jodie so late at night was probably worth it but to that extend ? What if the Organization members' names were on that card ? Or the APTX 4869 formula maybe ? That could mean...

"- Cool kid ?" The woman's voice got Conan out of his day-dreaming

"- Yes, I'm still here. Of course I'm in, but one condition : I need to have access to those data. First. Before anyone could mess up with anything important.

- I got to check with James but you can see that as granted, with everything you've done for us.

- I let you fill me with the details through mail ?

- Sending one right now... The owner is Yuki Haruno, a songstress. She'll be giving a live in Osaka's Koshien in 2 days, so we think the heist will probably happen there, with the crowd and the wide space, but we still have to decipher Kid's little riddle..."

Conan took a deep breath to process the information he was just being given. It's was the first time in a while he could really come close to the Organization and he couldn't help wishing all his problems could be solved by the small card attached to the piece of jewelry.

Wait, did Jodie said Osaka ?

Guess it was time to call that dark-skinned detective then. Two detectives for one thief would be a piece of cake !

* * *

><p>"- We'll be heading to our seats", Kazuha said, "you know where to find us.<p>

- Conan-kun, I know you enjoy Kid's heists but try not to annoy Hattori-san or the police.

- Of course Ran-neechan !"assured the small detective with a childish voice, while Heiji smirked at him.

"- You sure you'll take him with you ?

- No worries, nee-chan, K.. Conan-kun'll be safe w'th me !" he answered while ruffling the boy's hair. "An' th'is a Kid's heist after all, "no one gets hurt" seems ta be the absolute rul'."

The 2 detectives watched both girls go away, losing sight of them in the heavy crowd.

Conan's "family" arrived just after midday in Osaka and the teens could find some free time to discuss about the case and finish cracking the code while the girls were gossiping. Kazuha and Ran also got some seats for the live, Haruno AND the Kid's heist was pretty much something to see. Judging by the impressive crowd that night, they weren't the only ones thinking that.

"- So, according to the note, we have 1 hour left before the heist.

- An' w'th so many people here, won't be possible ta spot him b'fore he gets 'n his shiny suit...

- Well, let him do the work for us, he was nice enough to put his escape route on the invitation so let's head there" Conan said, his look turning to the nearby high building with a "hospital" sign.

* * *

><p>"- Don' ya th'nk this heist lacks o' Kid's usual "panache" ?" asked Heiji while climbing the emergency stairs up to the hospital's roof.<p>

"- Hmm, yea, I also feel something is missing in there : the note was pretty short and obvious, looked a bit precipitated. It's somehow missing the Kid's sophistication, seems more like a banal robbery, glider excluded... " Conan looked at his friend with a ironic smile : "Don't we sound like 2 fangirls disappointed in their idol doing an half-assed performance ?"

- Fangirl ? Ya maybe but don' count me in ! It would just upset my competit've sense if we'r' able ta catch th't Thief so easily...

- I'm not going to complain, as I'm really interested in succeeding this time..."

Conan stopped as they reached the roof to focus his glasses on the stage. The songstress was just starting, there should be 30 minutes before her song with pyrotechnics, during which the Kid was supposed to appear.

"- Ok, are you ready for the show Akaï ?" he asked through the glasses' mike.

"- Got a nice spot, I could work on making you a new haircut from there.

- Please refrain from doing that... I trust your sniper skills, no need for a demo and I like my hair like that.

- And Kudô-san would be quite mad at me I guess... How scary can be your mother ?

- To the point of kidnapping me, drugging me, tying me and pointing false guns at my head, just to check if I'm big enough to look after myself ? So try to figure what she'll do if you harm her son ?

- Wow, remind me not to annoy her...

- Kudô, glad ta hear yar mother is as sane as mine but anythin' new ? I only hav' one side of yar lil' chat here...", Heiji complained.

"- Nope, nothing, unless you're in Jpop music... Oh, by the way, almost forgot, I got you my spare glasses, so we'll be able to communicate even if we get separated. And you'll have the other side of the line.

- Do I get the nighty vision zoomy pack ? " the Osakan asked, putting the glasses on his nose.

"- Nope, sorry ! There are less options on the spare, I'm the one on watch tonight."

* * *

><p>"- It's funny how Nakamori-Keibu always ends looking ridiculous in Kid's heists...<p>

- What's happenin' ?

- He did try to pinch the songstress' cheek, it looks like he thought it was a disguise... He's now struggling to get out of a pile which seems to be Yuki's bodyguards... uh, they look heavy, at least 5 of them", Conan chuckled.

"- He som'times reminds me o' Mouri-san... Hard ta take th'm seriously when ya see th'm at work... Mouri-san looks m're impressive when he's asleep an' ya solve the cases fer him than awake ! Ya lucky yar wife didn't get his brain...

- She's not my... ", Conan blushed

"- Yea an' nothin' happened in London, right ?" Heiji smirked.

"- Look who's talking... Do I have to remind you a certain Osakan bridge ?" Conan smiled at the Osakan's blush, obvious even on his dark skin, then came back to his watch. "Ok, less chit-chat, bracelet gone, we should see Kid pretty soon, look for it.

- Aye sir ! "

And indeed, a white triangular shape was heading right to them.

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><p>"- Tantei-kun, Tantei-han, fancy seeing you both here", said the white thief with a small bow. " I apologize for my rudeness but I won't be able to entertain you as much as I'd like to tonight, as I must recover what has been stolen to me.<p>

- Stolen ? Since when are you the one stolen ? Would be a first", snorted Conan.

"- Alas my little friend, I also have the greatest displeasure being on this side on the theft. I dare think you also came to that roof because of the invitation card ?

- Ya nailed it... "Also" ? What d'ya mean ? Ya didn't write that ?

- Nope, I was only supposed to follow the instructions and it led me here, with that little bit of jewellery", the Kid stated, playing with the bracelet in his hands.

Conan watched the precious item and saw a red glimmer moving on Kid's vest.

"- Then who ... Oï, snipers, everyone down ! " Conan shouted.

The 2 teens followed the order and flattened against the floor without a second thought, hearing one shot which was without a doubt destined to the Thief.

"- Wher's it comin' from, Kudô ?

- Opposite side of the stadium... Akaï, do you copy ?

- Yea, I'm looking for our trigger happy friend, one sec'... Bad news, looks like the Organization also followed the trail of the jewel, I just spotted Korn and the guy isn't smart enough to work on his own.

- Crap..." the west detective swore.

"- Ok, neutralized him, I'm calling some reinforcements, I wouldn't be surprised to see some more ravens.

- You can go up, our guardian angel did some cleaning", said the child detective to the Thief. " Since when are you a magnet for the Black Organization, Kid ?

- Black Organization ? Never heard of them... " he answered while getting up. "Thank you by the way, it seems like they wanted to steal a bit more from me than they already have and I must say I'm pretty attached to my own life and I'd like to keep it as long as possible.

- What did they took fr'm ya ?" inquired Heiji while removing some dust on his knees.

"- A precious fr... " he started.

Both detectives watched him fall on the floor, like in slow motion, while the perfectly white vest was slowly tainted in red by the thief's blood. Heiji grabbed his arm to get him out of the shooting line until he felt an irradiating pain from his left limb that made him put a knee on the floor, a painful expression on his face.

"- Hattori !" Conan rushed to him, trying to compress the wound as soon as possible, which resulted in a grunt from the osakan detective.

"- Akai ! We are like sitting ducks here !" the small detective shouted.

"- ... Spotted Chianti... Neutralized... Kudô, I'm sorry, she was on another building, I couldn't find her fast enough... Casualties by your side ?

"- Hattori got hit in the gut... As to Kid" Conan paused while checking the Thief. Precociously, he turned him on the side, to be welcomed by a grin, a bit forced maybe, but better than expected.

"- Where are you hurt ?" he inquired

"- Self-esteem ? Bullet proof jacket ? The shoulder was grazed a bit but I don't think anything is broken... Still better than Tantei-han it seems", he said with a side look at the Osakan.

"- You scared me there. Do you wear a bullet proof jacket on a daily basis?

- Nope but I kinda had a bad feeling for that heist...

- Kudô ?" asked a voice through the glasses. "How's the thief ?

- No big harm on his side.

- Good. By the way, there may be a third man, they would need someone to retrieve the bracelet so you better not stay up there.

- I was also getting to this conclusion. Tell me if you or your guys spot anyone suspicious. Over."

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><p>"- Ok, let's follow the plan, then.<p>

- I'm not sure ta agree w'th that part, Kudô... Don' ya think I'm injured enough ?" winced the dark-skinned detective, trying to get up.

" - Do prefer you bridal style or hugging style for the ride? I must say I'm more specialized in bridal style but well... My passengers are more feminine usually", the white thief winked.

"- Ya litt'l...

- Kid, don't make it harder than it already is... Hattori, stop struggling, we hardly patched you, you still got a damn hole through the belly and you got to reach the hospital before fainting.

- Who'll be faintin' ? I'm not such a ... ouch..."

Conan rolled his eyes.

"- Ok, go guys, Osaka General Hospital. Kid, use my face as you seem to appreciate it. It'll be easier to find an explanation that way and you need some stitches on that shoulder, it doesn't look good. Stay there 'til I come, we need to talk. You have our phones' numbers if anything turns wrong.

- Do you understand I'm trusting you with my most precious belonging, Tantei-kun ?" asked the thief, suddenly serious.

"- We'll get her back, Kaitou. "

* * *

><p>Conan watched the badly assorted couple jump into thin air towards Osaka General. They decided it was better to go to another hospital : at least, it would be less obvious they were shot in the heist. He looked at the jewel in his slightly shaking hands and after several long minutes, his heart had a jolt when he found the tiny little black chip stucked inside the bracelet behind a stone. "Now, we are talking" he thought. He hid it on him and went down the stairs.<p>

"- Hey, boy!" asked a deep man voice

Conan froze on the last steps and looked at the man waiting near the stairs entrance.

"- Prefect Matsumoto? What are you doing here?

- I was visiting my daughter who moved in Osaka and couldn't resist when I heard there was a heist tonight. The message seemed to lead here... And you, still trying to catch Kid on your own? It's not because the name is "Kid" that you should think it's not dangerous to go after him you know !" he scolded while coming closer. "Eh, is that blood? Are you hurt, Conan-kun?" he asked with a worried look at the boy's hands.

"- No, no, it's not mine, it's Kid's, he was shot on the roof and left the jewel behind him when he escaped, so I'm bringing it back!

- That's great! Well, give it to me, I'll bring it back to Nakamori-keibu. As to you, you should go back as soon as possible to Mouri-san and your nee-chan, it's late, they are probably really worried.

- Of course, prefect Matsumoto!" answered the boy with a childish smile as he was giving the bracelet. "Have a good evening !

- Good night, Conan-kun", the man wished, while Conan was quickly going away towards Osaka's Koshien. Then he turned his eyes to the stone.

_"And if..._ " thought Conan while going away. "_But no... Though, the eye could be... "_

* * *

><p>"- Kudô ?<p>

- Yes, Akai ?

- We retrieved Korn and Chianti. Both dead.

- ... I thought I heard "neutralize" earlier?

- I did neutralize them. But they used poison, should have seen that coming since Calvados case... My men were too slow to prevent that...

- Did they see other ravens?

- None that we know... And you, anyone suspicious around the hospital?

- ... nope.

- Strange, I would have bet there was a third...

- We'll never know. Well, your night job ends there, I'm going to check on the guys to Osaka General. Thanks, Akai.

- You're welcome."

_"__Ok and here comes the hard part", thought Conan, "explaining Kazuha and Ran that both their boyfriends have been shot and went to the hospital without getting them extremely worried..."_


	3. Heist Arc - Chapter 3 - Secrets & wait

**I think you may have noticed in the previous chapters but, for this story, I will consider Kid knows Conan is Shinichi. This fact is canon in the films but not in the manga so I preferred to make it clear : )**

**This chapter is a bit long but some explanations were needed at this point, even if it meant a bit less action, and I didn't want to split it. **

**I think I'll publish this story on a weekly basis, I'll warn beforehand if any break.**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

**o0o**

**LLL : Thanks for your review ! To answer to your questions : yes, I do plan to go quite far in the Syndicate fall and yes, this story is to be a long one : ) **

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 : Secrets &amp; wait <strong>

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><p>Conan looked up to the room's plate. Number 556, name Hattori Heiji. He pushed the door, to stare at himself leaning on the wall though no mirror was required. His bespectacled grown-up face smirked at him. Apparently, the Kid had found the spare glasses he gave to his Osakan friend.<p>

"- I should get used to it but I can't, it's so creepy... The more with the glasses, you look like "Conan" in 10 years..." he sighted. "Ok, I got a short lead but both girls are coming. I made for them a nice story about Hattori being hurt during the heist by some random guy aiming at Kid and he bumped into Shinichi who took him to the hospital. Roger that?

- Yup!" answered the Thief, taking off the glasses.

"- Ya... "said a muffled voice from the hospital bed.

"- Still with us Hattori?" Conan asked, moving by Kid to move closer to the bed." How are you doing?

- They maybe have been a bit enthusiastic on medication but else... Good thin' with sniper's bullets, they'r so fast they just go righ' through ya... So no fancy damage done, I'll be out in 2 or 3 days.

- Good to hea...

- Heijiiii !" A form with a ponytail rushed through the door toward the bed.

"- Ouch ! Ahou, just don' hug me like that, I'm hurt, ya know!

- What happ'ned? Conan explained quickly ya left him at the stadium an' then he got a call from Kudô-san sayin' ya were injuried but he didn' make any sense...

- Well I kinda ended up b'tween that damn Kid and one o' his over dedicated fans... Just bad luck ya know.

- Luck ?" she raised a brow." Ya sure ya had your o-mamori with ya?

- O' course, o' course... I'll be out in a few days, nothin' ta fret about..."

Conan and Kaito were still near of the bed when Ran entered the room and spotted the fake detective.

"- Shinichi !

"- Yo, Ran !" he answered, slightly blushing. "Sorry I didn't contact you, I wasn't planning to drop by but I bumped into Hattori and couldn't let him alone like that. Looks like it was a good idea after all, since I got to see you" he added with a shy smile.

"- Calm down, Mr Sweet talker" Conan mumbled with a glare, careful to be out of reach of any unwanted ears.

"- Glad ta hear it was a "good idea after all" ta not let me bleed ta death in the middle of nowher' " Heiji pointed, a forged outraged look on his face.

He then hold back a yawn but was noticed by Kazuha who looked at him with a protective look.

"- Sorry, we're so many in ther' while ya're prob'ly tired after all this...

- No worries. Could ya just please call Oba-han? She'll kill me if I don' give any news.

- And could you girls find us something to eat?" the fake detective asked." I must admit I'm starving."

Ran looked at him with untold worry in her eyes.

"- I won't leave, I got this dark skinned detective to watch, I bet if I don't, he'll try to walk back home tonight.

- Would be so Heiji-like" smiled the Osakan girl. "No mor' dangerous moves tonight, ya hear me ?

- As if I'd do somethin' like th't ..." the west detective assured her.

"- You're coming with us, Conan-kun?" asked Ran, turning at the boy.

"- I'll stay with Shinichi-niichan, it's been so long, he must have so many stories to tell! And I want pizza!

- This won't be easy ta find here" frowned Kazuha, "ya sure ya don't want anythin' else?

- Pizza! Pizza!

- I'll also enjoy pizza" Shinichi added with an embarrassed look, "sorry for the inconvenience...

- Looks like we have 2 selfish kids in there" Ran smiled. " The choice is settled then, let's look for pizzas, Kazuha-chan.

- Laters!" said Conan, closing the door behind them.

* * *

><p>" - So, now that Tantei-kun got us quite a bit of time for our chat, let's focus on the main subject", said the Thief while sitting on a chair near of Heiji's bed.<p>

The move made him wince and his right hand went to hold his hurt shoulder. Conan was taking the chair on the other side but saw the thief's face. The guy was so good at acting that the small detective almost forgot he was hurt.

"- How's that wound, Kid ?

- Nothing serious... Got a few stitches but the bones are barely bruised, it'll heal fast.

- If you don't put another heist in the meanwhile... Good to go, Hattori?

- Ya, I will manage, poke me if ya hear som' snorin' " said the patient with a smile.

"- So Kid, as you promised earlier, mind tell us your tale? Can we also call you something else than 'Kid'?

- Kuroba Kaito. That's my name. The real one.

- Really ?! Wow, we didn' had ta push a lot ta get ther'... " noticed Heiji, slightly astonished. "So the Kaitou is a Kaito? Quite the thin cover.

- Well, it was so thin that the guys we met earlier also got right through it... I must admit it, I'm busted. "

* * *

><p><em>Two days earlier -<em>

Kaito hit the door's bell for the third time.

" Anyone here ? Come on, Aoko, it's not fuuuny !"

It was the second time he tried to knock on her door since he came back from Jii's bar. Her friend invited him the previous day for dinner but the house seemed pretty empty and he couldn't reach her phone.

_"7 pm, damnit, where is she ?"_

Perhaps she was angry at him since this morning after he flipped her skirt again ? She didn't seem to be amused but she wasn't the resenting type...

That was starting to have him worried. Turning back to his home, the teen checked once again his cell phone without much hope. And, at last, there it was, the message icon was weakly flashing. He closed his front door while opening the message box and had a smile seeing it was from Aoko. His joy turned out to be quite short-lived as he discovered the contents of the message.

Three words : "We got her", along with a picture of a tied and unconscious Aoko.

As he noticed his hands started trembling, Kaito calmed down with long and slow breathing and focused a bit more on the picture. To his great relief, the teenage girl didn't seem to be hurt, they shouldn't have used force to kidnap her, drugs maybe then. The light going down on her sleepy face was probably some daylight, so the Kid guessed the picture had been taken at least one or 2 hours earlier...

_"Where are the detectives when you need some ? " he grumbled, unable to get any other clue from the picture._

As he couldn't think of anything else, Kaito dialled Aoko's number, prepared for the worst.

"- That was fast, Magician-san" complimented a male voice.

"- What do you want from me ? Is Aoko alright ?

- I'm here, Kaito, I'm ok !" he heard her say in the background.

"- As she says... But as to the near future, everything is in your hands, Kaitou Kid-san.

- What are you talking about ? My name is Kaito not Kaitou.

- And you like magic tricks but are just an average high school student? Yea, I guess it's the well-polished answer you give to everyone but I don't need your confirmation, I already know you're the Kid.

- What is he talking about?" he heard Aoko ask faintly.

"- So you didn't even tell your girlfriend about it?" Bourbon laughed. "Quite the big secret, eh ?

- She's... " Kaito closed his eyes to focus, trying to keep a neutral voice "... my neighbour and classmate, that's all.

- So sweet, trying to make her sound unimportant to you... It's been 2 days I tail you, my boy, and you won't deceive me about your attachment to her. Let's stop beating around the bush, I know about your late father's night job and that Jii-chan, that assistant of yours and, above all, I know about a certain secret chamber I found at your home 3 hours ago while you were playing with your new toy at the bar."

Kaito froze, just how did that guy...

"- Kaito, what is he saying?" the girl's shaking voice asked from afar. "What secret room ? Are you really... ? It's just... impossible..."

Kaito could almost hear in her silent shock the sound of her heart break to the truth. But he couldn't comfort her right now... There was only one thing he could do.

"- Kidnapper-san, I'm listening" he said, using Kid's tone.

"- Good. Tomorrow morning, Osaka's police will receive a heist note from you. You will follow the instructions you'll find on it. It'll also conceal the location as to where to give us the loot. The heist is the day after tomorrow. I wish you good luck, for both your sake and hers."

Kaito stared a few moments at Aoko's picture on his phone after Bourbon hung up. How foolish he was... He knew he was being watched but didn't expect the guy to find out his identity... And that fast ? Who the heck was he ? The Thief was even more angry at himself for involving Aoko in all that. She was so defenceless... It wasn't hard to kidnap a girl alone at home, with her father always at work...

Kaito shrugged, as to get rid of all the remorse starting to pile up on his shoulders.

_"No time for self-pity"_ he thought.

Aoko was probably hating him now, their relationship would never be the same but this feeling of loss brought him to one realization : he couldn't imagine life without her and the idea of her being hurt was unbearable.

He had an heist to prepare.

* * *

><p>Conan felt a chill along his spin.<p>

"- I can perfectly identify to that, Kuroba...

- I bet... And you, Tantei-kun, how did you get to know those men ?

- Well since it looks like today is the 'spill-your-secrets' day... Six months ago, I witnessed a trade between what looked like bad guys. I wasn't careful enough, didn't notice one was behind me... They fed me with what they called an "experimental" poison and here it is, Chibi-Kudô at your service! I can't really complain as I'm alive, when the drug was supposed to kill me but the effect was still quite surprising, getting me 10 years younger.

- You know some women would kill for that ?" the Thief smirked

"- I'll gladly switch with them... Since that first encounter, I'm hiding my true identity from everyone, only a few selected know the truth, Mouri family not included. I bumped into those men from time to time... Succeeded in catching or identify some, while some other were killed but we never got near of the top. That's why the chip is so important to me : it could lead us to their Boss or there could be the antidote formula.

- Why aren't you opening it just now?

- Last item we got like that was booby-trapped with a virus, I need a safe computer and someone gifted with IT. Got that on hand, but I have to go back to Tokyo...

- Case to be followed then... And you, Tantei-han, why are you into that hunt ?" inquired Kaito. "What's your secret on this "spill-your-secrets" day ?

- As if I need'd a reason ta help my best pal' " Heiji answered with a smile before yawning again. "Sorry guys, but I'm kinda leavin' ya at the moment, can't focus anym're...

- You need sleep, even if it didn't do too much damage, a bullet wound asks for rest, I know what I'm talking about... " Conan got up, heading toward the door. "Laters, Hattori, I'm not sure we'll met before I go back to Tokyo but we keep in touch. Kuroba, can you mail the picture you received to the both of us ? We may find some hints you didn't notice in that file. And call us as soon as you have some news, I bet they'll try and contact you. Now, let's wait outside for our pizzas ! "

* * *

><p>"- Were you sure of your intel, Vermouth ? The card was nowhere to be found on the bracelet.<p>

- Absolutely, RUM-chan.

- Anokata maybe let the leash loose on you, but I'm not Him.

- You're no fun, Mr. Number 2. I'm confident about that piece of information, the chip was with the bracelet. I had it from a reliable source, they wouldn't have any reason to lie to me as my disguise was perfect.

- So you're suggesting it was stolen in between ?

- We dealt with a Thief after all, that's what they do.

- Maybe Bourbon wasn't persuasive enough for our little new friend... He's always been kinda soft-hearted. I guess it's time I take care of that case, the Kid is too much of an asset to let him act like a mad dog..."

* * *

><p>"The bracelet retrieved ! A star smiles on Osaka's Koshien" said the front page of the newspaper in Conan's hand, although he was too deep in his thoughts to read it.<p>

He came back to Tokyo the previous evening and was now sitting in Kogoro's office after a short and agitated night of sleep. The heist happened 2 days before, he was still waiting to hear from Kuroba and that was starting to upset him.

The Thief had walked them back to Heiji's parents' house after they visited the Osakan at the hospital that night. He left them on the doorstep with a saddened look, saying that, since he saw everyone was alright, he shouldn't wait any longer to go back to his "very important" case. Ran was a bit taken aback but didn't insist against his serious look.

_"Damn he was good"_ Conan remembered_," it was so much something I could have said and that expression looked very Shinichi-like...Uhg, since when did I start speaking of myself in the third person ? Bet it's that annoying Thief fault for looking so much like me..."_

But he had to admit Kid had been perfect and no one would ever know it wasn't the true Shinichi that night, which was, after all, the whole goal behind that trick.

The night he came back to the capital, he rushed out to Agasa's house before Ran could stop him, declaring he had some game to bring back urgently and he'll be back for dinner.

It was the first time he could watch Haibara's jaw almost drop when he explained her with a grin the kind of "small pieces of information" she may be able to find on the little card in her hands.

"- Consider I'm already working on this, Kudô-kun, I'll keep you informed about what's on that chip and what I can get out of it.

- You have one week, after I must give that to the FBI.

- Hakase, you heard him. Please call the school to warn them I'll be absent next week. Now, no one even thinks about disturbing me" she said with a menacing glare, closing the lab door.

Since then, Conan had to refrain himself to look at his phone every 2 minutes, while waiting either from Haibara or Kuroba.

"- Conan-kun" said Ran's voice from the kitchen, "can you please leave that newspaper and bring me back your dishes ? You're going to be late for school...

- Haaai..."

After one last glance, he pocketed his phone.

* * *

><p>Kaito just couldn't stand the wait. 2 days, 2 long days and still no news from the Organization. He tried to call Aoko's phone the day after the heist, to see if he could talk his way out of his failure and check if she was still alright but it was shut down, of course.<p>

He also had to stand the sight of Nakamori-keibu, who was devasted after 4 days without his daughter. The man had sent a kidnapping alert to the MPD while Kaito was in Osaka for the heist but of course, no testimonies were to be heard, no clues were to be found. She disappeared into thin air after she left from school.

Kuroba knew the truth but there was no way telling Aoko's father she was in the hands of a dangerous group who kidnapped her because she was too close of him, the Kaitou Kid.

He sighted one more time in front of his computer, trying to focus again on the screen.

_"Damn, I can't think straight when I'm like that..."__he told to himself," Remember, Poker Face, that's a basis for a Kaitou ! Ok, coffee, I need to wake up. "_

He was standing up when he felt his cell vibrate in his pocket. His eyes widened when he saw Aoko's number.

"- I think we may have misunderstood each other, Kaitou Kid" said a deep male voice.

"- How could we ? I don't think I already shared the pleasure of your company, since you do not sound like the man I've spoken to before.

- Let's say we decided to take your specific case more seriously. I need you to understand we are even more dangerous that our common friends and you've seen what they've done to your father. At the moment, your dear girlfriend is alright but your very next answers will determine her future.

- May I ask how to ensure she's safe ?"

He heard a slapping noise and a faint moan, which was definitely female.

"- Aoko ?!

- Kaito, whatever you are, just don't do what they're ask... !"

Another slapping noise. He closed his eyes to get a grip on himself.

"- Will you stop that? A true gentleman has no need to lay a hit on a lady.

- I'm just trying to make my point there... "

Another slap. Kaito could hear Aoko sobering softly. Shaking in anger, he clenched his jaw and tried to sound as calm as possible.

"- ...You did, there's no use in continuing this little act.

- Ready to play by my rules then, Mr Thief ?

- May I hear what is your request, Mr Kidnapper?

- The chip.

- As a reminder, I'm a jewel thief, I'm not into IT material. Unless it has any relation to the bracelet your people asked me to steal last heist?

- Don't play dumb or your girlfriend will get more than slaps. The chip was in the bracelet before the heist and isn't anymore now. No need to be a genius to know where it ended.

- And let's say I don't possess this piece of technology you're looking for?

- Then you'd better do your best to retrieve it or else I won't have any use for your female friend here. You have one week. The exchange will take place at the docks, 8pm next Monday, I'm sending GPS coordinates to your phone. Alone.

- May I ask how do I know I can trust you ? The last rendezvous I shared with you gents ended with a quite non-romantic face-to-face with a rifle...

- You'll have to take the risk, it's not like you have any other choice, Mr. Thief."

And the man hang up.

Kaito clenched his fists so strong his hands whitened and hit the wall next to him with his hand to release his anger.

_" Aoko..."_

* * *

><p>"- Yes Dad ?" answered Ran. Conan recognized Kogoro's voice through the phone.<p>

"... Mô, Dad, that's your fault" she scolded him "you shouldn't play pachinko at all !"

"... Well, it can't be helped then, I'm coming, give me the address."

Ran scribbled a note on a piece of paper and hung up.

"- Sorry Conan-kun, can I leave you alone for a moment ? Dad's lost his wallet, he can't pay his pachinko bill, I have to go there...

- No problem Ran-neechan, there's Yaïba on TV !

- It shouldn't be long" she said, taking her jacket.

"- What have I done for such an irresponsible father ? No Yôko shows for a while, I swear !" He heard her complaining in the stairs.

" Baka Kogoro" he sighted. "With less games and alcohol, maybe he would be a better detective..."

He was setting the TV on the news channel when he heard the door open.

"- You forgot something, Ran-neechan ?" he asked, still focused on the screen.

"- Not exactly" he heard her voice say from really close.

"- Ugh..." Conan barely saw a face similar to his holding a stun gun before being swallowed by an empty darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>I quite hesitated for this chapter between a strong Kaito, like the one I described, able to calm down for Aoko or, on the contrary, a panicking Kaito, unable to hide the fact he feared she could be hurt by his fault... I guess the second idea would have given sweet moments but, in the end, I decided I needed him to be strong : ) <strong>

**Always keep your Poker Face, boy !**


	4. Heist Arc - Chapter 4 - Cooperation

**Thank you once again for the views, favourites, follows and reviews, it's good to feel some people are interested in my story ; )**

**How to introduce this chapter ? Let's say you'll have the 4 Gosho Boys, as I promised ****: )**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4 : Cooperation<strong>

* * *

><p>"- So, Tantei-kun, where did you hide it?"<p>

Conan blinked as he was gradually regaining consciousness. He was sitting on the couch, hands tied behind him, and Kid's face was close to his.

"- What the heck is that about, cosplay freak?" he growled, blinking his eyes.

"- Where did you hide the chip? I searched the whole flat and couldn't put my hands on it. You already gave it to the FBI? Or is it still by your IT specialist?

- And you needed to stun me for that? Didn't we agree last time we would work together?

- Since your plans seem to always end with someone hurt, I prefer to have it my way."

Even if his voice was calm, Conan noticed the Kid was shaking in anger, acting far less calm than usual, looking a bit desperate.

"- Come on, I know you're not interested in the data... What did They tell you? Did They do anything to Nakamori-san?

- Yes, and that's why I shouldn't have listen to you.

- Kuroba" The boy looked at him in the eyes. "You know I won't give you the name of who has the chip and I know you won't try and hurt me for it."

The Thief stared back at him before looking away, clenching his fists. He then shrugged as a sign of defeat.

"- I had to try" he said while untying the small kid. "Pity, I was glad to have been able to have both your uncle and Nee-chan away so quickly... His wallet is downstairs on his desk by the way.

- Noted... Well, what happened?" Conan asked, rubbing his wrists.

"- They asked for the chip, I have 4 days left to bring it to them in a well-defined place. The mastermind changed, he's far more of a psycho than the first. Aoko... They were clear about the fact they won't hesitate killing her if I don't do what they say." Kaito had a chill.

"- Is she alright?" Conan asked, with concern on his face.

"- They called me and pushed her a bit around... Nothing too serious, I think... And hope.

- And you though I wouldn't give you the card out of free will to help her so you imagined this little act?

- Guess I'm not in my highest shape at the moment...

- You bet."

They agreed to meet the following afternoon after classes, in front of Conan's school, and then Kid left.

* * *

><p>At the bell, Agasa opened his door to look at a familiar face.<p>

"- Shinichi-kun? Did you...

- I'm here, Hakase" said Conan, appearing from behind the Kid. "Let us in, I'd prefer not to stay on the doorstep.

- Of course, come in! You just got me quite scared there" he confessed while closing the door. "So this young man is ... ?

- Kid, at your service" winked Kaito.

"- Agasa Hiroshi, nice to meet you. The resemblance is quite striking...

- I also noticed..." sighted Conan. "We came to check on Haibara, is she downstairs?

- Yes, she leaves the lab only to eat and shower since you gave her the card, I'm getting tired of fast-food I must say... Though you better not repeat it to her, I'll get scolded for my high calories intake...

- You make her sound like your wife, Hakase" Conan smiled. "Ok Kid, let's go to her lab."

They both went downstairs and the boy knocked carefully on the door.

"- Haibara?"

They waited a bit until she opened the door, with her usual white coat and a large cup of coffee in the hand.

"- Ku... Conan-kun? Who's that Nii-chan with you?

- No need for the child act, he's in. Let me introduce to you the Kaitou Kid."

The teen smiled and give her an extravagant bow before proceeding to a baisemain.

"- Kaitou Kid, at your service, ma'am"

- You should learn some manners from him, Kudô-kun" she said with a smile while Conan rolled his eyes at the Thief's little act. "Haibara Ai, scientist.

- It is the greatest pleasure for me to meet you, my lady.

- Pleasure is the same, your reputation precedes you, Kaitou Kid."

Being bored of all the bowing and scraping between the scientist and the Thief, Conan stepped in.

"- Now that the introductions are over, any progress with that chip, Haibara? You didn't call...

- Sorry, I was a bit busy... And I wanted to double check everything. Broadly, all the data on the card is coded, so it's quite a pain to get anything out of it. I had to decide what I was looking for and determine the file's characteristics to identify it by the frame only.

- Do you want me to ask some help from the FBI ?" Conan proposed. "Their analysts may not be as good as you but there are many of them, it could be faster...

- Well, I'm used to the Organization's method to encrypt data and, to be honest, I prefer to do it myself... Don't touch that!" She interrupted as the Kid, curious as he was, was getting a bit too close to some of her test tubes." It took me the whole night to get to that point, I don't want to start again from scratch.

- Are those related to the chip? Did you find the APTX 4869 formula?

- Hold your horses, meitantei-san. I've found something that looks like it, indeed, that's one of the part of the chip I decrypted. I need to lead a few more tests to be sure, so don't get too much excited at the moment.

- Ok..." Conan sighed, a bit aback. "What about any members or secret bases' lists?

- That's the second kind of files I identified but the encryption is pretty high level, I'm still barely at the beginning.

- Do you think we could copy the card? " The Thief asked.

"- Nope, too risky, if you try and copy the encrypted data, we'll have another Night Baron on the comp' and the card will be erased... We can only copy the parts I decifer, which is, as I said, a long process.

- Then what do you suggest, Tantei-kun? You said you would give me that chip out of free will but we both need it... And I can't take the risk to show up at the trade without the real thing."

Conan had a thoughtful look on his face and then turned to Ai.

"- Haibara, do you think you'll be able to process both antidote's info and BO's members/hideouts list before Monday?

- I don't think so. I'm already working day and night on the chip and you can see the results after 4 days... Give me one subject to focus on.

- Being back to my former self or bringing down the Organization? What a choice.

- I'll follow you whatever solution you take, Kudô-kun."

Conan paused one instant to think about the different possibilities. He wanted his own body back really badly but then, what? He would put everyone in danger if he stayed with them, as he would top on the hunting list from the men in black. Still no future with Ran in there... He sighted and lifted his eyes to Haibara.

"- Ok, members and hideouts list then, who knows, we may find other information on the APTX in their sites.

- I'm on that" the girl nodded. "I think I'll need more coffee, could you ask Hakase to bring me another cup?

- Sure"

They climbed the stairs and passed the message to Agasa.

"- Ok for the chip, let's hope we'll get something that can be exploited before Monday. Now we need to work on the plan for the exchange...

- What plan?" asked the Kid

"- That's exactly why we need one, we need to think about something. I don't want to imply the FBI, as I was supposed to give them the card and I don't think they'd like the idea of me using it as a bait but with just the 2 of us... I'll call Hattori, I think he'll be able to help with the plan and coordination during the operation at least. Do you have anyone on your side? You're used to work with at least an accomplice, right?

- Yes but I don't think he's fit enough any more to dodge bullets. I may have someone else, it'll be a pain in the butt but he's efficient and intelligent and he'll probably be in, at least for Aoko.

- Ok, meet tomorrow here, same time, with whoever we can find?

- Yup."

* * *

><p>"- How did you convince them?<p>

- Well I'm supposed ta have "absolute rest" fer a week. Don' see why I can't do that at yar house."

Heiji was sitting in the couch of Agasa's living room, a cup of green tea in front of him. Conan was facing him in the other couch, his face hesitating between concern, as the teen was still looking a bit feeble, and amusement, at the idea he probably defied - again - his father.

"- And they agreed?

- Kinda...

- Hattori, am I going to see your parents coming here to grabb you at the scruff of the neck and bring you back straight to Osaka?" asked Conan, now grinning.

"- Na, o' course. I just have ta call twice a day an' Kazuka'll come tomorrow ta "look after me". Was already hard avoiding her skippin' school today...

- You should be moved by the fact she's so concerned with you..." The boy pointed. "Still, you sure you're fine?

- Second time ya ask, Kudô. If it's just fer paperwork, I can help. Just don' ask me too often ta get up from th's couch.

- Be careful, you begin to sound like Kogoro...

- And ya think ya're funny... Behave, or I'll throw you through the room just like he does." Heiji threatened with a smirk. He turned his head to the door when the bell rang.

"-Just on time!" Conan noticed. "It's probably for me Hakase, don't bother! "he said, rushing to the door.

"- Hi, Midget, I came to play!

- I think I may close this door just right now, Kuroba..." Conan threatened, not really pleased being called a midget.

"- I don't really mind what you do about Kuroba-kun but I personally would be quite bothered to have to wait outside under the rain, Conan-kun.

- Hakuba... - nii-chan?" he stated with surprise, letting them in.

"- Nice to see you again, little meitantei, long time no see. Sorry for intruding, my fellow classmate decided I had to pay you a courtesy call...

- I said I would explain, right, Hakuba? You see, I wanted to show you... this beautiful dove coming from Conan-kun's ear!" the Thief said while moving his hand towards the kid's head, releasing a dove in Agasa's living room.

"- Hey, Hattori!" he greeted, throwing himself on the couch near of the Osakan while the others were distracted by the bird, "How are you doing?

- Hale an' hearty, and ya?

- Already forgot it.

- Oh, Hattori-kun" Saguru stated as he was crossing the room toward the Thief." Well, I guess I would have noticed you earlier if you had been polite enough to greet us... Though, nothing surprising coming from an unmannered man like you.

- If ya want insults, I'm yar...

- So you already know each other" Kaito cutting Heiji short with a wide childish smile, "great, we'll spare some time with introductions !

- Kuroba, remin' me why ya brought him ?

- For once, I do agree with our hot-blooded detective of the West, you all seems like good pals but may I know why I was invited to this pyjamas party ?" asked the blond haired detective.

"- Just how much did you tell him, Kuroba ?" The half-brit rose a brow hearing once again Conan call the magician "Kuroba" without honorifics.

"- Hmm to be honest, I kinda thought it would be better to spill the beans with you all, just to avoid being hit or thrown in jail or both, you know...

- Then, all of you, have a seat" invited Conan. "I'm bringing more tea and snacks, we have a long chat ahead of us.

Once they were all settled, Saguru and Conan on one couch and Heiji and Kaito on the other, the Thief stopped staring his tea cup and started to speak.

"- Well, you kinda discovered the truth by yourself" said the Kid, looking in Hakuba's eyes "but let me tell you a story. We have to go back in time, 8 years ago, when Kaitou Kid was a well-known international thief. He was approached by a certain organization, who wanted him to help them to find and steal a specific jewel, a doublet they used to call Pandora. After working a while with them, he concluded the men were some disreputable characters, even for a thief, so he was determined to stop their collaboration. He also decided to prevent them from reaching their goal and became a thief only targeting jewels, trying to find before them the Pandora and destroy it. But the organization was quite the powerful one and discovered Kid's identity. Having his name, it wasn't hard to plan an "accident" during one of his many magic shows, as the Thief was also a magician outside his secret life... The man name was Kuroba Touichi, my father.

- I'm sorry about your father..." Saguru sighted. " I heard from Aoko-san about the accident 8 years ago but didn't imagine it was a murder. Still..." He said, staring at Kaito, "no matter how good the reasons, you're just a criminal, Kuroba-kun.

- I won't deny I am. I decided to take over from my father by targeting jewels to find the ones who murdered him, whatever the consequences. Fame, wealth, I don't care about all that, I just want justice.

- I don't think I will ever approve the fact you decided to follow your father's steps on thievery... I think you understand I won't be any softer in trying to catch you during the heists just because you told me the truth?

- I wasn't expecting it, it's not today's meeting purpose. No, what's important now is the second part of the story. A few days ago, an organization, close to the one who killed my father, followed Kuroba Touichi's trail and accidently discovered I was the new Kid. Their goal was to have me work for them, so they try and found a leverage...

- Does it have any connection to Aoko-san's disappearance?

- It has all to do, she's been kidnapped by them more than a week ago" Kaito sighted.

"- You stupid Thief, how could you imply her in all that, she doesn't even know the truth!

- I know! Don't you dare think I don't worry about her..."

As both teen were staring at each other, a heavy silence fell in the room, to be interrupted by a munching noise which made them turn both their heads at the same time to see Heiji, a cracker halfway to his mouth.

"- What, don' look at me like that... I'm hurt, I need ta built up back som' strength!"

Kuroba left his serious face to go back to his usual self and laughed whole-heartedly.

"- Thank you, Hattori, for being so much unable to read the mood!

- Uh... Anytime?

- To go back to the subject, we are all here today for Aoko-san, Hakuba" Conan added, with a grave look and voice, both clearly not belonging to a small child.

"- Glad to hear it..." the teen was a bit impressed at the boy's mature aura. He got a grip on himself."But you know, Conan-kun, same goal or not, it is quite rude to drop the honorifics to your nii-chans. I noticed you tended to forget the "niisan" a lot today.

- No need for that, we got the same age." The bespectacled kid pointed out with a serious face.

- ... Last time I checked, I'm quite sure the handsome meitantei I am wasn't 7 years old.

- Neither am I."

Saguru ironically smiled, as if a good prank was being performed. He looked at the other teen as to share the joke but both their faces were straight. Feeling it was perhaps not a joke at all, he lost his smile and turned back to Conan.

"- Ok... Would you mind enlighten me about that little mystery?"

Conan got up to face Hakuba and removed his glasses.

"- Let's do the introductions once again. I'm Kudô Shinichi, nice to meet you" the small detective said, presenting his right hand.

"- This would explain a lot of things about you, Conan... Kudô-kun, " Saguru shook the boy's hand, a bit absent minded, "except for one, what happened to your body?

- The Organization who detains Aoko-san isn't only specialized in kidnappings. We are speaking about an international structure, with many men, probably infiltrated in high Japanese authorities, police included. I accidently met them 6 months ago and they left me for dead after feeding me with some unknown drug. When I woke up, I was under this shrunken form. I've decided to keep a low profile and took "Edogawa Conan" alias since.

- So you declared a ceasefire with the Kid to shoot down your common enemy? And Hattori-kun's your side-kick?

- Yup, though I can't kick anythin' at the moment, a lil' memory from our mutual friends...

- All that being said, what are you all expecting from me?

- Kuroba has been invited next Monday evening to trade Aoko-san against a micro-chip we've retrieved during last heist, with sensitive information about Them " Conan explained. "We decided to be a bit greedy and to try and keep both, though it's obviously a trap. Wanna do another pyjamas party with the 3 of us?"

* * *

><p><strong>To be honest, this chapter could have been really different but well, I wanted to see the 4 boys working together as fast as possible so I had to stop myself turning Kid into a "bad" guy. But the idea of him ready for everything for Aoko's sake was fun : ) <strong>

**Sorry for Hakuba's fans, he may just sound like a jerk in this chapter, but I wanted his relation to the others to look like the Tantei Koushien, at least at the beginning ; ) **


	5. Heist Arc - Chapter 5 - Preparation

**Once again a small *coughs* chapter ; )**

**The beginning is a bit of KazuHei-ish (this one is for you, Opal Spirit !) but no worries if you're not into that pairing, the boys will give some action in the second half of the chapter !**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

**oOo**

**estelle : Thank you for loving my fic, always appreciated ; )**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5 : Preparation<strong>

* * *

><p>As Saguru agreed to stay, the 4 teens started to work on the information they had. The picture Kaito received the first day was quickly put aside, as the hideout probably changed at the same time than the kidnapper. They directed then their reflexions to the location given for the trade and how to secure Aoko and the chip without exposing Kaito to too much danger... Conan was planning to take the 24h-antidote for more striking power and Saguru volunteered to provide them with bullet-proof jackets, as he could get some easily thanks to his father. On his side, the small detective would supply detective boys badges for all of them so Heiji, who would stay hidden in a safe place near of the site, could monitor them all and coordinate their moves.<p>

"- Once we spot Aoko-san, I think we should call the police to back us up and catch the most BO members possible" Conan declared. "We can't take any risk.

- We may want to give a call to Nakamori-keibu" Kaito advised them." If we tell him his daughter is here, he'll be the fastest on the scene...

- Good idea... Ah, one sec', must be Ran, it's getting late" Conan said, getting his phone out of his pocket.

"- Hai, Ran-neechan ?

... Gomen, I didn't check my watch, this new game is so cool !

... Yes, I'm leaving now, I'll be here very soon."

" - You're really good with the kid act" the Thief teased with an amused look at the boy.

- When your life and the ones of those you care about are in the balance, you learn quickly. Ok, I must go back to my "nee-chan" so I guess our little war council stops here. We all have some homework to do, so no need to meet before Monday, I think?

- Agreed" Saguru answered while the two others nodded.

"- Take care then, we'll see you on Monday then" Kaito said.

"- Hattori, you'll be staying at my home, with Okiya, I warned him you'll come to rest a few days here.

- Ok, I should go an' say hello ta my new roommate then" he said, standing up, wincing a bit, a painful expression quickly passing on his face.

"- Take it easy, Tantei-han" the Kid adviced, as he noticed his grimace, "we need you on Monday.

- Don' worry, I don' plan ta run a marathon this week'nd... "

* * *

><p><em>" "Ya'll stay by Okiya at my house"... Damn, Kudô, ya could hav' at least presented him ta me."<em>

His gym bag on his shoulder, Heiji was grumbling to himself, on his way to his friend's house. He paused in front of the entrance gate and rose his hand to ring the bell, stopping midair as the door opened on a bespectacled light-haired man

"- Hattori-kun ?" He asked with a smile.

"- ... Okiya-san ?" Heiji asked, surprised to see the man on his doorstep before he even rang.

"- Come in, Kudô warned me we'll be sharing this house for the few next days" he smiled with a nod. "Let me take your things upstairs, you're still hurt, right ? And the curry should be soon ready, if you're hungry.

- Oh, eh, thanks !" Heiji felt a bit uneasy at the man's solicitude. "But ya shouldn'... I mean, I don' want ta disturb ya..."

Subaru was now closing the door and getting Hattori's bag off the teen's shoulder. He looked at the dark-skinned detective with a serious face.

"- Let me look after you, since it's partly my fault.

- What are ya talkin' about ?

- If I had spotted this sniper sooner...

- Wait, wait, wait... It was... Ya're Akai-san ?" the teen gave an interrogative look at the young man.

"- Oh, I thought Kudô told you about it ? Since you're in all his secrets and all..." Okiya shrugged. "Well, let's get rid of this now. Yes, I'm both Akai and Okiya. To make it short, we needed to help an agent to re-infiltrate the BO so we faked my death by her hand. To protect her, "Shuichi Akai" had to disappear so we created "Okiya Subaru" and Kudô-kun let me stay in his parents' house.

- And ya call this "short" ?" Heiji pointed, rising an amused brow. "The voice is different, right ? It's not the same than on the heist... An' I guess yer face is too ?

- Yes, Yukiko-san had the kindness to show me how to disguise properly and I use this device, " he undid a part of his collar to point to a strange necklace "to change my voice, Agasa hakase's courtesy, quite similar to Kudô's bow. Ah right, I also know about his "little" problem.

- Wow, looks like it could be really interesting ta have a long chat with ya...

- How about doing it in front of a curry ?" Akai smiled.

Later that night, Akai helped Heiji upstairs and led him to Shinichi's room, where he already put the teen's bag. After parting on a "good night" to the man, the Osakan detective undressed for the night and settled down on the bed, careful not to lie on his left side, thought he felt it was going better nowadays. He took a look around him, noticing a picture of Ran on his friend's desk. It was a bit strange to stay in Kudô's room : there was a slight stuffy smell and a bit of dust, it felt empty and deserted by his inhabitant. Like the life the teen had to let behind him.

Heiji sighted and rolled on his right side, wishing this room would soon be occupied by his rightful owner and swore to himself once again to do everything he could to shorten the wait.

* * *

><p>The teen was woken up by some knocking on his door.<p>

"- Sorry to disturb you but you have visitors, Hattori-kun..." he heard Okiya's voice.

- Ugh.. What time is it ?

- 10 am, sleepy head !

- Kazuha ? What are ya doin' here? Damn, I totally forgot ya were comin'..."

The door swung open, a really annoyed looking Kazuha storming into the room.

"- "What are ya doin' here?" I got up at dawn to visit ya an' that's all ya find ta say !" She complained loudly.

"- Hey, don' come in without askin'! " Heiji curled up under his blanket to hide the fact he was almost naked. "Don' ya know the word "privacy" ?"

Kazuha had the decency to blush a bit but it didn't stop her.

"- Hadn't ya forgotten me, ya would already be dressed !

- I didn't ask ya ta come... Ya insisted !

- I came because I was worried ! Heiji, ya ... Aho !"

As some one cleared his throat at the entrance, both Osakans stopped to turn their heads in the coughing direction.

"- Good morning Hattori-kun", Ran said with a smile."Do you feel better ? Sorry if I'm interrupting anything...

- Heiji-niichan is mean with Kazuha-neechan !" Conan shouted as he ran into the room.

Heiji rose the blanket even higher.

"- Are ya really all goin' ta come in that room an' lecture me when I'm half naked ?

- I think Hattori-kun speaks some sense, for the first time of the day" Okiya agreed, with a teasing smile at the bedridden teen. "Let's go downstairs, I'll prepare you some hot drink while our detective there finds himself some clothes.

- Thanks..." The dark skinned sighted.

The door closed but Heiji noticed Conan was still in the room.

"- So, what are ya doin' here ?

- Well, someone had to fetch Kazuha at the station..." Conan smirked."She called Ran last evening and the both of us went to met her on the platform. In your stead.

- Will ya stop teasing me ? I didn' even know on what time she was supposed ta arrive... And I didn' think I'll be so late ta go ta bed yesterday night." Heiji got up to grab some clothes and started to dress himself cautiously. Conan turned his back to him to preserve his "privacy", as the Osakan said.

"- What kept you up ?

- I had a chat with yar friend livin' here... ya could have told me who he was...

- I wanted you to have the surprise" Conan smiled at him.

"- Surprise ? Ya do like euphemism, don' ya ?" Heiji gave him a flat glare. "He told me about a lot o' crazy things ya've been doin' with him, implyin' the BO, the FBI, the CIA and whoever else... Ya've been busy, _Conan-kun_ ! Much more than the few info ya gave me on this case suggested...

- Well I kinda got dragged in all that stuff... Didn't want to annoy you with that.

- I'm just sayin' I would have liked ta be informed of the full story, as it is BO-related..." Heiji regretted. "Just try ta think about it fer next time... Ok, I'm ready, let's go downstairs !"

* * *

><p>After lunch, as the girls insisted, the four of them went out for some shopping in the vicinity.<p>

"- Shopping again ?" Heiji sighted as they were on their way. "Just how many clothes do ya need in yar dressin' ?

- Ya can't understand, ya're a guy" Kazuha pointed. "Ya'll look after the bags, as a compensation fer forgettin' me this morning.

- What part of "hurt" an' "absolute rest" ya don' get, aho ?! I shouldn' even be walkin' this long..."

Conan rolled his eyes, seeing the two Osakan were once again picking at each other. He knew his relationship with Ran wasn't easy but those two had really a complicated way to show their affection to the other. Complicated and noisy.

"- We're here !" Ran stopped in front of a shop, with a smile at Kazuha.

"- I'll stay outside with the boy, if ya don' mind. I need ta rest and I don' think Conan-kun's too much interested by shoppin' ." Heiji explained, while Conan gave a nod to Ran.

"- Ok to me then. Let's go, Kazuha-chan !

- We'll be sittin' near the fountain, ya know where ta find us."

* * *

><p>"-Oi, look," Conan nudged Heiji's arm "isn't it Takagi-keiji near of that police car ?<p>

- Looks like he's interviewin' someone, he's takin' notes in his notebook", the Osakan pointed.

"- Let's go there, it'll help kill time !

- Let's hope no one will be killed, it happens far too often when we are together" Heiji smirked.

"- Thank you for your cooperation, ma'am." the inspector said, closing his notebook.

"- Hi, Takagi-keiji !" Conan's cheerful voice greeted.

"- Oh, Conan-kun ! And Heiji-kun ! How are you both doing ?

- Great !" the small detective answered. "You're on a case ?

- Yea, but nothing exiting enough for you two" he smiled. " Just some domestic violence, the neighbour called but we were too late...

- Hey Wataru, come and give me a hand" Sato was coming near of the car, struggling with the handcuffed suspect, as he didn't want to stay still.

Takagi came to help her, placing himself on the other side of the quite oversized culprit.

"- Conan-kun, could you open the car's door please ?" he asked.

"- Yes !"

The man looked at the boy and noticed he was now pretty near of his reach. He tripped and fell of his height on the floor before the 2 inspectors could prevent him from falling.

"- Hey !" Conan shouted.

The man was getting up, the kid now in his arms, his left forearm pressing his hostage's throat when the right kept the boy's body and arms against him.

_"Crap" _Conan thought_, "Can't reach my watch..."_

"- Conan-kun !" Sato worried.

"- I've enough strength to strangle him" he threatened, tightening his grip on the boy. "Drop your weapons in the car"

The cops did what he asked while the criminal took a few steps back. Heiji looked at him, rising his arms in a soothing way.

"- 'Jii-san, he's just a boy, let him go. Killin' someone is already serious enough, ya don' want ta add violence on minor ta that fer yar trial..."

The man seemed to hesitate and suddenly threw the boy in the air. Heiji caught Conan in midair with a painful grunt as the boy's weight sent violently him against the car.

"Hattori !" the boy's voice was full of concern as the teen slid to the floor, still protecting him in his arms.

Both cops turned to the two civilians, worried at the small detective's shout.

"- Are you alright ?" Sato enquired, crouching to them. Noticing her colleague was uselessly standing behind her, she added " Takagi, go after him, I'm checking on them !"

The man had taken advantage of their inattention to run towards the stores. Unluckily for him, Kazuha and Ran were going out of the shop they were in and witnessed the whole scene. The Osakan girl dropped her shopping bag, shaking in anger.

"- Where do ya think ya're goin' after hurtin' MY Heiji ?!" she shouted, rushing to the guy and sending him fly with an expert Aikido move. As she was shoving him to the ground, Takagi arrived, panting.

"- Sorry... " the male officer started. "And thanks.

- Anytime", the girl brushed off his embarrassed face with a move of the hand.

Once the Takagi secured the man, she got up and headed quickly to the police car, Ran just behind her with both their shopping bags.

"- Anything wrong ?" Sato asked Conan, noticing the small detective was checking on his friend, a concerned look on his face.

"- He's been hurt recently, I wanted to see if he received any more damage due to me...

- Ya're not that heavy... _Conan-kun, _not nowadays... at least" the teen joked but he was still trying to catch his breath.

"- You think you can get up ? "Sato asked to the Osakan, getting up and holding his hand to him.

"- Yes." He took her hand and, once on his feet, the teen did some moves to check his injuries but didn't notice any more damage.

" Heiji, are ya alright ?" Kazuha worried as she came near. "Ya didn' re-open yar wound ?

- Nah it's ok... I think..." He reassured her. His mouth turned into a smirk. "Did I hear ... "MY Heiji" ?"

"- I..." Kazuha blushed. "Stop imaginin' things, ya ahou ! Gimme proofs !"

In the meanwhile, Sato retrieved their weapons and threw a dark look at the criminal approaching the car, hold by Takagi.

"- In there, now !" she ordered, pulling firmly on his handcuffs. She turned to the boys " You sure everything alright ?"

"- Yes !" Conan energetically answered, as Heiji did a positive move of the head.

"- Good to hear." She smiled at them."Once again, sorry for that incident... Excuse us, we'll be going, we have to bring that man to the police station... Take care !"

The 4 teens looked at the car going away.

"- Maybe we should go home ?" Conan proposed, with a glimpse at the dark skinned detective.

"- Yes, enough adventures fer me today" Kazuha agreed, also glancing to Heiji.

"- Let's go at the Agency, I'll make us some warm tea" Ran offered, giving back her shopping bag to Kazuha while the men started walking beforehand.

"- "Just shopping" they said... It almost killed me" Heiji sighted.

"- As you pointed earlier, I just think it's the two of us being crimes' magnets the problem" the boy grinned at him. "Try to rest for tomorrow, dude.

- One day ? It's another week o' rest I need after this..."

* * *

><p>Conan came to fetch Heiji quite early that Monday morning and they both walked to Agasa's house, for the final arrangements. Their first move was for Haibara.<p>

"- So, nee-chan, any progress on th't list ?" The Osakan asked.

"- Yes, I ended with something exploitable last night" she confirmed. "I copied the file on this USB key." She gave it to the small meitantei. "It was indeed a list, with the names, occupations, codenames and main missions of some members. Lists of hideouts also, with the main activities of each. I couldn't take a look at it yet so I can't tell you anything more, you'll have to discover it by yourself.

- Did you find some time to also do some progress on the antidote ?" Conan asked, with a hopeful face.

"- I did get some data during the last hours, I don't know yet if it's worth anything. I'll check on that later, for now, I really need to get back some sleep, I'm so tired coffee doesn't work anymore" she yawned. "Here is the chip, by the way. If you excuse me, I'm heading to my bed."

Conan smiled at Haibaira, holding his hand to her.

"- One last thing !"

She sighted and drew a bottle of pills out of her drawer. She put one on the hand held to her.

"- 24 hours, don't forget. And try not to do anything stupid, I'm starting to think the antidote damage the brain when I see how irresponsible you get when you swallow one of those."

* * *

><p>"- Well, I'm off to school, I'll bring the chip to Kuroba on the way. Hattori, try and see if you can find any interesting information on the usb key.<p>

- Yea, I'll stay her' ta look at it. Hav' fun with grade school, _Conan-kun_" the dark-skinned detective grinned.

"- Haha really funny..."

* * *

><p>Hakuba was watching the Kid and had been all day. It wasn't obvious but he could see Kaito wasn't his usual self by the small mistakes he made in the magic tricks he performed on his classmates. Today was the D-Day, if everything went well, Aoko-kun would be among them tomorrow, in this very classroom. Of course, he was also worrying about her but his rationalism helped : no matter how powerful the Organization, an asset like the Thief wasn't neglectable and by association, so was his leverage.<p>

It was still complicated for him to get used to the revelations which were made to him 3 days before. He was, for a long time already, utterly convinced that Kuroba was the Kid but he didn't have any proof and the teen kept denying it. These new circumstances where Kuroba was honest with him still made him uncomfortable. They had decided to declare a truce, until Aoko was retrieved but after that, his goal would go back to catching the Thief. He though decided that had to be at least during a heist, as there was no honour in arresting the teen in his everyday life.

The last bell of the schoolday rang and the whole class stand up. Saguru walked toward the Thief, who was rolling his shoulder with the opposite hand.

"- Last check up before tonight, Kuroba-kun ? I hope this shoulder is alright.

- Yea, it's ok now, it's not bothering my moves any more. Still, so much solicitude from the great meitantei, I'm moved, Hakuba" he taunted.

"- I need to know if you are fit enough for this evening's task... See you there, then.

- I count on you to watch my back, Tantei-san.

- Sure thing, I want to have the pleasure to arrest you and for that, you need to be alive.

- You sound like arresting me would be a walk in the park" the Kid smiled.

"- I'll be the one who'll stop you.

- One day, maybe! At least tonight, don't neglect the fact you also need to be alive for that... Laters! " said Kaito, throwing his school bag on his shoulder.

Saguru also took his and, after a quick pop to his house to retrieve the 3 last bullet proof vests - he already gave one to the Thief the day before, as he was supposed to arrive alone that night - headed towards Agasa's house. The 3 detectives would come together, a bit earlier than the meeting time, to have a prior look at the scene.

* * *

><p>"-Will ya work ya stupid..."<p>

Shinichi heard a thump noise.

"-Oï, Hattori, is everything alright ?

- Yea, just had ta explain th't comp' I was its master... Hakuba, ya ther' ?

- I'm here, though I wonder for how long you'll hear me if you keep hitting this computer...

- Ya're the joking type, eh ? Ok, 5 mins' ta go, time ta put yarselves in position. Good luck, guys an' stay alert" the dark-skinned detective advised.

Shinichi had taken the cure 3 hours beforehand and was back to his standard features. The 3 teens were wearing black clothes and a bullet proof vest, courtesy of Hakuba, under their sweaters. Each had chosen something to use as a weapon : stun gun wristwatch and ball dispensing belt for Shinichi, bokken for Heiji, thought he wasn't supposed to have any use of it, tranquilizer gun for Saguru. They were also counting on Kaito's numerous gadgets.

Hakuba and Shinichi went quietly to hide around what was left of a 2-storey warehouse where the exchange was going to take place. Heiji was to hang back and offer support to the three other teens so he was now sitting in an empty container they found previously, not far from there. On the map on the screen in front of him, the Osakan could see 3 red lights, each one coming from the detective badges they equipped themselves with. A forth was coming near.

"- Gents" greeted softly the Thief, folding his glider.

"- We'll all her', Kuroba" confirmed Heiji.

"- Then, let's the show begin..." he said, walking in.

As Shinichi was to describe the scene to Saguru and Heiji, he put his night vision glasses for a proper view in the present darkness and peeped inside the warehouse through a broken window. He quickly spotted the Thief, who was almost shining in his white suit thanks to the moonlight piercing through the many holes of the roof.

" - Welcome to our little party, Kaitou Kid", said a tall and wide middle aged man, his face hidden under a hat. He walked towards Kid, 3 men on his heels.

"- I couldn't resist to such an invitation, Mr. Kidnapper. I see you brought some friends ? I guess my humble company wasn't enough to entertain you ?

- We are never cautious enough, you know...Well, let's get straight to the subject, do you have the chip ?"

_"His voice" _Shinichi thought_,__"I know it..."_

"- And you, do you have my lady ?

- Of course, of course. Show her to him", he ordered, raising his look to a metallic passageway above them. A man came from the shadows, holding the girl by her tied hands on her back.

She had a bruise on the left cheek and was blindfolded but, apart from that, Kaito was relieved to state that she seemed alright.

"- Ojou-san, are you safe and sound ?

- ... yes" she answered, her voice shaking a bit.

"- The chip ?

- It is right here" the Thief said, taking it out of his front pocket.

"- You understand we have to check it before releasing the girl ?" On a head move from the kidnapper, one of the men took out a computer.

"- Of course.

- Then excuse me for my rudeness, but we have to take a few precautions."

Kaito heard the sound of a trigger cocked and could see the upstairs man menacing Aoko with a gun.

"- Bring it to my man, please refrain from any funny move, for her safety, I wouldn't like an accident."

The Thief breathed deeply to calm his anger and walked to him, holding the card. The boss looked over the shoulder of his IT specialist to check the computer's screen.

"Guys", Heiji whispered, "Hakuba managed ta get upstairs through the outside staircase, he has a clear shot fer the guy w'th the gun. Kid, after that guy is out, ya'd better rush ta secure yar neechan. Kudô, try ta get the comp. I let ya handle the countd'wn for action. "

After seeing an imperceptible nod from Kaito , the east detective started to count down :" 3... 2 ...1 Go !"

Hakuba aimed for his target. The man had a faint grunt and before he even hit the ground, a smoke bomb exploded, filling the place with a thick fog.

"- He's going upstairs !" coughed the boss, his eyes crying from the smoke. "Go after him and shoot on sight, we can't have him escape !"

The Thief had reached Aoko and was untying her when a man popped out of nowhere in front of them, a gun in the hand, blocking their escape. Kuroba swiftly moved to place himself between the man and Aoko.

"- You won't go anywh..." The man never finished his sentence and fell forward, revealing Saguru, pointing his tranquilizer gun at him.

"- Thanks, Tantei-san" the Thief said, removing the girl's blindfold.

"- Hakuba-kun ?" Aoko asked, blinking her eyes.

"- Save the thanks for later, Aoko-kun. We need to get you out of there. Kid, take her and fly away, I'll manage my way out.

- Be careful" the Thief said, getting the girl in his arms and deploying his glider.

After a few steps toward the stairs, Saguru noticed a man in black aiming at them, too far for him to be able to do anything.

"- Watch out! " He tried to warn the Thief.

Kaito heard the warning but, as he jumped at the very same moment, he had just enough time to tilt his glider inflight, protecting Aoko with his body.

The half-brit helplessly watched the Thief take the full blast of the shoots and land heavily on the floor, the glider being destroyed by the shock.

" - Kid !"

* * *

><p><strong>Small cliff-hanger.. Did I mention I like them ? ; )<strong>

**See you next week ! **

**Just in case : "BO" = Black Organization**


	6. Heist Arc - Chapter 6 - Kidnapped

**Sorry for the last cliffhanger, I'll try not to use too many but well...****as I said, I enjoy them }=)**

**This chapter has a bit more action, I hope you'll enjoy it : )**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

**oOo**

**Estelle : I may be a bit evil, sorry ; )**

**Shinshinjane : Yes, always cliffhangers... : p As I already said, I'll update once a week, no less, no more as it allows me to deliver correct work (in my opinion at least^^) and will avoid any break. And now, ladies and gentlemen, it's show time !**

* * *

><p>On his side, Shinichi neutralized the IT engineer with the stun gun watch from afar but, before he could even approach the computer, the boss took it under his arm and rushed for a side exit. The detective was going to go after him when he heard Saguru's cry.<p>

"- Watch out !"

The dark-haired teen turned his head to see Kuroba and Aoko falling down the passageway, a man emptying his gun at them.

"- Kid !"

Saguru saw a soccer ball at high speed hit the head of the man who was reloading his gun.

"- Check on them and keep me informed through the badge, I'm going after their boss !" Shinichi asked him, turning to the side exit.

_"Please be both alright"_ he prayed.

* * *

><p>After slamming the door, Shinichi found himself in a maze of containers.<p>

"- Hey, Kudô ? May I ask fer an update ? I'm blind here ya know." Heiji asked through his badge.

"- We secured Aoko but Kid is down, don't know how serious it is, Hakuba is looking after him. " the teen answered as he was running straight in front of him, hoping the man took the fastest way out

"- ... Noted. Ya neutralized all the bad guys ?

- Nah, I'm chasing their Boss.. I just hope he didn't... "

Heiji heard a thump noise and a grunt, followed by the sound of something heavy falling on the ground. And then nothing.

"- What was that ? Kudô ? Kudô ?!"

The East detective wasn't answering.

_"Shit ! Lucky I remembered to take these... _" Heiji took out of his pocket the spare glasses Shinichi gave him during the last heist. Glasses on the nose, he rushed outside, armed with his bokken, in direction of the red glow on the radar.

_"Faster !"_ Heiji's ears rang from the effort of being running at full speed after his recent injury but he ignored it.

* * *

><p>"- What a surprise" the man said, bending on the teen to lift his knocked out head to him. "Kudô Shinichi, aren't you supposed to be deceased ? You rising from the dead will certainly interest some of our scientists..."<p>

"- What have ya done to Kudô ?! Stay away from him ! " The dark-skinned detective was heavily panting but he nevertheless took a fighting stance with his bokken up. RUM rose to his feet and looked at his enemy.

"- You started this fight" the man pointed with a calm voice. "But don't worry, I just knocked him out a bit, with this pipe here", he said, collecting the said-item which was on the ground near him.

He suddenly threw himself to the teen. Taken by surprise, Heiji barely managed to protect his head, as the man was aiming for it but he quickly changed his target and gave the teen a strong blow in the stomach. The Osakan couldn't refrain a pained grunt, as he felt his not-so-old wound re-opening and starting to bleed again. Even with the wound, he still had his kendo skills for him but the guy had such an insane strength : he clearly had the upper hand and he knew how to take advantage of it. The West detective parried 2 or 3 other attacks with less and less stamina before being thrown off by a blow on the head he couldn't completely deflect. As his glasses flew away from the shock, his back harshly hit a container and he fell to the ground along it, leaving a bloody trail on the metal wall, unable to get up.

The man came closer to check on his opponent.

As the moonlight finally shined on the scene once the clouds moved away, Heiji's eyes widened when he was able to see the man's face.

"- Ya're ... that Matsumoto guy ... from MPD !" he panted.

"- Hattory Heiji..." The Superintendent said with a nasty smile, letting go of the pipe on the floor and getting his gun out. "Your father will be devastated, I'll ensure to give him my condolences... " and he pulled the trigger.

* * *

><p>Saguru rushed down the stairs towards the Thief and saw Aoko trying and succeeding in freeing herself from the remains of the broken glider. She then turned to the teen lying on the floor next to her.<p>

"- Kid ?" she asked, holding against her the arm she hurt during the fall. "Kaito ?" she tried again, with a softer voice.

"- Aoko-kun, are you alright ?" Saguru enquired as he came by.

"- Just scratches but Kaito.. Kid... Whoever..." her voice broke.

"- Don't worry, I know who he is" the detective confirmed." When you were kidnapped, he came to find me..." He felt to add at her astonished face.

The blond-haired removed the glider's cloth and several fragments to reach the teen. The Thief was covered in dust but he didn't seem heavily harmed. Saguru looked for a pulse on his throat and found a steady one.

"- Luckily, it looks like the bulletproof vest did its job. He's just passed out.

- Bulletproof vest ?" Aoko looked at him with surprise.

"- We all wore one, we knew this whole operation wasn't going to be a child play."

He was carefully unbuttoning Kid's vest to check on his injuries when he felt the teen started to move.

"- Hands off the goods, Tantei-san" Kaito grinned, trying to push him aside. "Ouch...

- Glad to see you're awake, Kuroba-kun.

- Kaito ! I though you... " Aoko sobbed.

"- Ahouko... I'm the Kid, I'm immortal ! Though it looks like it doesn't stop me from fainting" he joked, as if nothing happened.

She stared at him.

" - Aoko, I'm... " he started, darkening at her serious face.

She looked away, with a sad look.

"- Excuse me for interrupting your quarrel but, Kuroba-kun, do you think you can pop up some disguise ?" Hakuba asked . "I hear sirens approaching, the police will soon be here and I'm sure you don't want to be seen in this outfit...

- I can at least go back to Kuroba Kaito" he stated, quickly removing the white hat, monocle, gloves and the too obvious red tie. When he took off his white vest, some moves seemed painful to him, making Saguru frown.

"- You're alright ?

- I may have bruised some ribs, even with the bulletproof jacket...

- Ok, well, just sit a bit longer, I'll conceal the other overwhelming proofs ...

- Who'd have thought you'd act one day as an accomplice ?" the Thief grinned at the detective.

"- ... And I'd advise you to look a bit more Kuroba-like, as the smile you have on your face really reeks too much of Kaitou Kid. ".

The blond-haired got up to hide the clothes and what remained of the glider into some wood box in a corner of the room and turned back to the other two just in time to see the elite forces approaching the building by a broken window.

" MPD, this place is surrounded, surrender yourself and you won't be harmed ! ", a man voice declared through a megaphone.

"- Give me back my Aoko !" they could hear in the background.

"- Dad ? I'm here, I'm safe !" the girl answered loudly, getting up.

Nakamori-keibu rushed into the warehouse, his men at his heels, and threw himself on tears at his daughter.

"- Aokoooo" he cried, "Are you alright? What happened to you ? We received a call from a man named Hattori but I didn't dare to believe it was true he found you..."

- I'm back now, dad " she assured with a wide smile to comfort him.

"- But look at your arm, you're hurt ! I need medics here, call some ambulances !" he shouted to one of his men. He crouched to the Thief who was still sitting on the floor. " Are you hurt somewhere, Kaito-kun ?

- Just some bruises, I think we were really lucky ..."

Nakamori-keibu got up with a look around him at the men on the floor.

"-You fought a true commando here..." he stated with surprise as he noticed the guns. "As Kaito-kun said, it's pure luck none of you was killed... ".The inspector was half admiring, half scolding. " There wasn't another one with you ? That Hattori whatever ?" He suddenly remembered.

"- He's hiding not far away, I'll ask him to come." Saguru confirmed, grabbing the badge on his turtleneck black sweater. "Hattori-kun ? Everything is over, you can come and join us. Hattori-kun ?" He asked once again, starting to get worried as the teen didn't answer.

As he didn't really pay attention to whatever was said through the badges after Kaito was shot, he wondered if he missed something.

"- Oh, these are some kind of walkie-talkies we used for short-range communication " the blond-haired explained at Nakamori-keibu's interrogative look. " But Hattori-kun isn't answering... He isn't at his full strength right now and one of those men managed to escape us, I'm afraid he could be in danger..."

_"And same goes for Kudô"_he thought, but the detective had insisted in not mentioning him to the police, which wasn't really that surprising with the Organisation on his tail.

" - Agents" the policeman ordered to the elite squad, "we have a suspect on the run and a teen missing, search the docks !

- I'm coming with them" Saguru volunteered, "as I can communicate with Hattori-kun on short-range, it'll be faster to find him.

- Be careful" the man advised.

"- See you later."

* * *

><p>Saguru guided the research team through the side exit : if Hattori wasn't answering, it probably meant something happened to Kudô and he went to help him. So the best starting point was to follow the dark-haired detective's trail : he was almost sure that, if he found one, he may find the other. He just hoped that silence from the badges came from the fact they chased the man too far away and went out of range.<p>

"- There's something on the floor" one of the men noticed after a 5 minutes' walk, bending down to retrieve it. "Oh, it's just glasses...

- Let me look at it."

_"They look like Conan's glasses, maybe Kudô-kun has been here ?"_ Hakuba thought, looking around. _"He wouldn't be too far aw... "_

"- Hattori-kun !" he worried, spotting the Osakan lying against a container.

"- Call some medics here !" ordered one of the policemen, who also noticed the teen.

Saguru rushed at the West detective and crouched to check on him . He was breathing with difficulties, a trickle of blood coming out of the corner his mouth and a nasty bump starting to appear on the side of his head. As he saw the teen's left side was bleeding, the blond-haired lifted his sweater, to notice the bullet-proof vest was intact, meaning it was the Osakan's previous wound that opened again. The teen obviously also had been shot in the torso, as a bullet was sticked into the vest, in the heart area. Once again tonight, Saguru thanked the bulletproof jackets. He tried to loosen it, to allow Heiji to breath more easily but the teen had a groan when he started to untie it. The pain made him open his eyes, barely conscious.

"- Hattori-kun ?" the blond-haired called gently

" - ... Hakuba ?" he panted painfully.

"- What happened ? Where are Kudô-kun and the one he was chasing ?

- He... took him...

- Who took who ?

- Their boss... He's..." Heiji suddenly tensed up and looked into Saguru's eyes. "Don' trust the MPD, ... ya need ta go ta the FBI... ask Hakase for Okiya... if ya don' find Kudô... in the 24h limit he's so screwed... " The Osakan closed his eyes due to the effort.

"- Hattori-kun , is there any problem with the MPD ?" Saguru worried. "Don't you dare pass out on me now, I need to know, my father works there ! Who was that man ? Hattori-kun ?!"

* * *

><p>The blond-haired detective waited impatiently for the medics to arrive, as Heiji didn't regain consciousness in spite of his attempts to wake him up. He had discreetly pocketed the glasses, hoping they could help him to find Kudô later. After what seemed hours, he heard the ambulances approaching.<p>

"- Over here !" he shouted to the medics. "And there are 2 more injured in the warehouse.

- Can anyone lead us there ?" one of them asked.

"- I will " a policeman offered.

- Let's go."

Two medics followed the law enforcement officer while the 2 others started to look at Hattori. Saguru couldn't prevent himself to notice their faces darkening as they checked the teen's vital signs.

"- Is he going to be alright ?" The half brit enquired.

"- We need to take him to the hospital as soon as possible, it looks serious. Can you help us with the stretcher ?

- Of course."

* * *

><p>The medic nodded to Saguru before closing the door on Heiji's strecher. After one last glance to the ambulance, the blond haired teen turned to the other one where Kaito and Aoko were going through a check up.<p>

"- What, you're not coming to the hospital ?! But ... I'll stay with you then !

- Nah, Aoko, you can't, you need to have an x-ray on that arm, you heard the doc, it may be broken" Kaito refused, shaking his head. "Go and keep an eye on Hattori for us.

- And you ? Didn't you fainted ? It could be a concussion you know...

- It was just an act, don't worry about me !

- Bakaito ! You made me worry... " she pointed, sulking ."Understood, I'm going into that ambulance.

- Good girl...

- But sooner or later, we'll need to have that chat" Aoko soflty added, looking into his eyes.

"- I promise. I'll explain you everything."

After one last glance at him, she got in the ambulance, leaving Kaito and Saguru with Nakamori-keibu and his men.

"- It's getting late, do you need a lift home ?" he asked to the 2 teens.

"- Not exactly home but I would need to go to Beika, for personal business, if you don't mind" Saguru answered.

"- So do I." the Thief added, giving a discreet blink of complicity to the detective.

"- Ok. Hey, you" he called one of his men with a sign of the hand, "could you drive them somewhere ? They'll tell you where to.

- Yes, sir !" The policeman turned to the teens to invite them to follow him to his car.

"- Just one moment please, I need to retrieve Hattori-kun's computer." the half-brit explained.

* * *

><p>"- You sure you're going to be alright, Kuroba-kun ?" Saguru inquired with a low voice, as they were both sitting at the back of a police car heading to Beika. "That was quite a fall and you don't look that good.<p>

- It's not the first time I hit my head you now...

- Oh, it explains everything then, Kid.

- Shhh, keep it down... "Kaito said, looking with concern at the cop. He seemed to come to a realization and looked back at Saguru in surprise. "Was that a joke ? Since when do you have a sense of humor ?

- I'm half British, we are renowned for it, you know.

- Oh yea, I've heard some rumours about British humour..." Kaito giggled. "Ouch, I shouldn't have done that" he immediately regretted, holding his ribs.

"- You should have gone to the hospital" the blond-haired detective sighted.

"- I wish I had the luxury of taking some rest but I can't" the Thief said with suddenly a serious face. "Kudô has been kidnapped because he was helping me. It's almost 11 pm, in 18 hours, he'll be back as Conan in front of the persons he dreads the most and the cover he worked so hard on during those last 6 months will be blown up. I can't let it happen.

- We both want to avoid that, Kuroba-kun... " Saguru agreed. "We'll find him !

- I'm counting on your detective talents there, Tantei-san" Kaito smiled.

* * *

><p>The policeman stopped in front of Agasa's house and left with a small bow after the boys gave a quick thank.<p>

The inventor opened the door, a worried look on his face.

"- At least, you're back, come in ! ... Kaito-kun ?" He threw a quick look outside. " Where are Shinichi-kun and Hattori-kun ?

- I'm sorry" the Thief sighted as he closed the door behind him, "we retrieved Aoko but Kudô has been kidnapped during the operation... Hattori-kun sent us here, saying you could provide us safe help, as MPD wasn't to be trusted anymore...

- Kidnapped ?" The teens heard Haibara's shaking voice. The girl had frozen at the word as she came to check if everyone was alright when the bell rang. "By Them ? But what if...

- Yes" Kaito confirmed, "we know, we have 18 hours to find him..."

Ai was trembling, her eyes widened in shock and fear. "That idiot" she kept muttering for herself.

" - Are you alright, Haibara-san ?" the Thief inquired.

"- I just can't believe... "

All of them fell silent for a moment.

"- Last time I came here with Kudô-kun" Kaito remembered, "you said you would be able to edit an hideouts list from that chip, did you succeed ?

- Yes..." The little scientist took back control of herself. "Hattori-kun worked on it all day, it should be on the comp I lent him. Where is he by the way ? It would be easier for him to find what we need.

- He's been sent to the hospital, in serious condition" Saguru announced with a pained look, while Agasa and Haibara's faces darkened. "Aoko-kun will keep us informed about his status... We have to concentrate on finding Kudô-kun.

- I have the comp" Kaito said, "could you lend us a hand ?"

* * *

><p>"- Ok, looks like Hattori-kun classified all the information by categories" Haibara noticed . "The hideouts seem to be ranked by the kind of material present onsite and the cities they're in...<p>

- What kind of classification are there for the hideouts ?" Saguru asked the girl.

"- Medical-care, Research, Formation, Meetings, Weapon storage, others.

- Where do you think they took Kudô in ?" Kaito wondered.

"- As he'd be the only known person to live after taking the APTX 4869, very probably research or medical-care.

- I think it would be safe to restrict to Tokyo area, how many are there ?" The half-brit enquired.

"- 4. 3 to treat the injured and one for research, one I already worked in on a few occasions."

Both teens looked at her with bewilderment.

"- You what ?" Kaito asked.

"- I used to be one of Them... Due to some disagreements, I tried to quit but couldn't so I ended up taking my own drug, the same Kudô-kun had.

- ... Just how many secrets Kudô-kun holds in his hands ?" Saguru wondered, rolling his eyes.

"- Hey, so it means we have the same age ?" Kaito pointed out with a wide smile.

"- Don't you go and imagine anything, Thief, I'm not interested.

- So cold..." he said, falsely taken aback.

"- Could you just focus on what we are working on, Kuroba-kun ?" Saguru scolded. "Haibara-san, you know Them, which one would They chose ?

- ... Research, I think." Ai answered after a brief pause." We are speaking about the Organization's new drug, they can't let the job to the normal medics. It has to be a specialist, someone who would have taken up the torch after me. And that someone would be in a research centre.

- Then we need to go there" Saguru decided.

"- I don't think you understand of scary is this Organization... Look at you, you were 4 to leave tonight and only 2 to came back. That's what They do, no matter who you are, your age, your sex, They attack without distinction. The research centre is a central place to them, it's heavily guarded, there were at least 20 guards for the dozen of scientists working there when I visited 8 months ago.

- Which means if Kudô-kun is here, he won't be able to escape alone" Saguru pointed. "And we don't want to go just the both of us, we'll get there with the FBI. Though having someone like you who knows the place would be the greatest advantage.

- What do you think of a romantic walk there?" Kaito winked at her.

"- No" she refused without giving it a though, shaking her head. "Everyone in that centre think I'm dead, and I'd like to keep it at that. I can't just walk in, you know.

- Let me help with a disguise !

- I... I just..." Ai hesitated, chilling from the idea of being surrounded by the men she has tried to escape all her life. Both of the teens were looking at her with expectation.

"- I just can't !" She snapped, going down from her chair and rushing to her lab, locking the door after her.

* * *

><p>" - You know..." Agasa said, coming closer to both teens as he heard the commotion, "They killed Ai-kun's family, you can't resent her for being afraid.<p>

- Even if I have the spare glasses to try and find Kudô-kun in that research centre, she's still our best asset to retrieve him as she knows the place, Agasa-san" Saguru pointed.

"- I'm going to speak with her.

- Thank you. Just one last thing, Hattori-kun said we should ask you about someone named Okiya.

- Okiya ? He won't be hard to find, he's living next door, in Shinichi-kun's house" Agasa answered the teens. "Indeed, he's perhaps the one you need... " He added after a short reflexion.


	7. Heist Arc - Chapter 7 - Looking for help

**Sorry, after all those long chapters, the 2 next ones are rather short. **

**But we are approaching the epilogue of this part : )**

**I updated the chapters title, since this story is going to be a long one, I wanted it to be more organized... ^^;**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

**oOo**

**Estelle : I'm doing my best to entertain my readers, glad you like it ; )**

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><p><strong>Chapter 7 : Looking for help<strong>

* * *

><p>Shinichi was slowly regaining consciousness. After opening his eyes, he tried to turn his head to check his surroundings.<p>

_"Ouch" _he thought. "_Ah right, I remember, the guy got me by surprise and hit me with some metallic stick... I have this impression of déjà-vu, I really should look behind me when I go after bad guys.. Ugh, I just hope I don't have a concussion, head hurts like hell..."_

The teen was sitting on a chair, in the middle of a small room, his hands and feet solidly tied to it. He still had his glasses on the nose but his sweater and the bullet proof vest had been removed so he was a bit cold or, if he was unlucky, it was already the fever preceding a change. As he could feel the floor with his feet, he apparently wasn't back to Conan's body yet but what was the time ? He and his relatives would be so much in danger if he changed back to a boy here... He tried to move a bit, to see if he could free himself in any way but, no use, the one who tied him clearly wasn't at his first try...

The room was really dark, there was no other light than the one that came from under the door.

_"An underground hideout maybe ?" _he thought. _"No good news, it'll be harder to find me, even with the radar... Well, that means I have to manage on my own and to hope for them to do a mistake."_

* * *

><p>"- Yes ?" A blond haired man opened the door, in a dressing gown, a silk scarf around his neck. He stared at the Thief. "What happened to you, Shinichi-kun? You look like a mess"<p>

- Can you let us in ?" Kaito said with Kudô's voice.

"- No need to ask, this is your... Hey, wait a second" he commanded once the teens entered and were fully visible thanks to the light. "You're not Shinichi-kun !

- We are some friends of his and we're here for him tonight.

- Please close the door, it's unsafe" Saguru added with an uneasy look outside.

"- I hope it's not a prank... Let's go to the living room. What did you mean, you're here for him ?" Subaru asked once seated. "Is he alright ?

- He's been kidnapped. By the Organization" Kaito said, looking at Okiya's face. "Seeing your reaction, you know Them. "

- Hattori-kun told us to come and see you, he said you were FBI" Saguru clarified.

"- You're not the usual pranksters, eh ? Let's imagine I'm indeed related to the FBI... could you just explain your story ?"

* * *

><p>"- That's why we need the FBI... " Kaito concluded with a sigh.<p>

He had explained the most he could, trying to avoid giving too many sensitive information like his identity or Conan's.

"- I'll have a few questions for Shinichi-kun about that chip he was supposed to give us back..." Okiya frowned.

"- Will you help us?" The Thief inquired, unable to wait any longer for the man to take a decision.

"- Of course. Shinichi-kun did a lot for me, I can't leave him in such a pitch. When you said you may have a guide, you meant the girl next door ?

- How..." Saguru's jaw dropped.

"- I'm not sure to be implied in every secret Shinichi-kun holds but I do know about APTX 4869.

- Then you understand why we are in a hurry : Kudô-kun had the antidote 7 hours ago, we need to find him within the 24 hours limit" the half brit detective stated with a concerned look.

"- Got it, let me give some calls." Okiya turned his head to Kaito. "In the meanwhile, you may want to put some other clothes, you're really dirty... You'll find some in the room on the left upstairs, I guess Shinichi-kun wouldn't mind.

- Thank you" Kaito accepted with a nod.

"- Anytime, Kaitou Kid."

The Thief stared at him

"- I'm also a detective, you know. Your white trousers and shoes aren't the regular clothes for an undercover operation. And Shinichi-kun told me you would probably have a face similar to his, seeing how you could use easily disguise as him.

- I remember now why playing with detectives can be dangerous for my heart..." the Kid shrugged with a small smile while Saguru was smirking at him.

* * *

><p>Shinichi suddenly heard a commotion just in front of his cell and the noise of some people fighting. The door banged open, to let a well-know policeman go in the room.<p>

"- Kudô-kun, are you alright ?" Matsumoto asked.

"- Superintendent Matsumoto ? What are you doing...

- We're go tipped about that hideout they may took you in so we decided to rush in... But still, it was hard to believe you've been kidnapped, as we all thought you were dead. What happened, did they sequestrate you for half a year ?

- Nah, I was just keeping a low profile, my kidnapping is quite recent...

- Low profile? You disappeared to everyone... You were hidden by someone ?

- I was wondering what was your point..." Shinichi smirked at the man. "Let stop this little game, I know you work with Them and I have no names to give for the traitors of your kind.

- ...Such a nasty word" the policeman smiled. "How did you unmask me ?

- Superintendent Matsumoto... No, let's call you RUM, according to your features. Once is a coincidence, twice is suspect" Shinichi pointed, getting a surprised look from the man at the name "RUM" . "And I must say I had some doubts after I heard what happened in Osaka.

- Bah, it was worth a try... I had just forgot you've always been the smart one, boy, to find out who I am" he laughed, not really sounding disappointed or angry at the fact the teen unmasked him. His laugh turned to an evil grin " Oh, by the way, speaking of Osaka, I think you're referring to your colleague Hattori Heiji-kun when you said you heard from the case ? Was he your friend ?

- _Was_ ?!

- I'm sorry to inform you I had to kill him. I did not wish to go to such an extent but he'd seen my face..."

Shinichi froze, unable to believe what the man was saying. Not Hattori... He couldn't accept it... A mix of different feelings swirled into him : sadness, anger, guilt, all succeeding at high speed.

"- As to you, I guess I won't do the job this time but the result will be the same. The medical team needs to work a bit on you. An APTX 4869 survivor, that's new, they were quite interested, one of them is even rushing here right now despite being past after midnight ! Be proud, as you'll die for science. This is goodbye, Kudô-kun."

And he left.

In his stead, two men entered and untied Shinichi unceremoniously. He barely resisted as they made him stand and walk through the centre, still numb under the shock of learning Heiji's death. He blinked back to his senses when he entered the medical section, with its strong light and white walls. It was clearly the middle of the night, as they didn't meet anyone and almost all lights were switched off. One of the men unlocked a door, while the second was holding Shinichi's arms in his back. From where he was, Shinichi could spot a clinic bed, with monitors and all, and decided he didn't like the idea. He tried to look as harmless as possible and offered no resistance when he and his jailer went in.

"Come on, give him the sedative, I don't want to stay here all night... " the man behind him asked, giving a bored look at his colleague who was searching something in the drug's cupboard.

Feeling the man behind was inattentive of him, Shinichi suddenly kicked him to break free and rushed through the door, too fast for the men to stop him. He had noticed when he entered the key was still on the knob, so he slammed the door and locked it behind him.

_"That was the easy part" _he thought_" now, where's the way out ? "_

He carefully walked through the medical section and was back to the other part of the basement in less than a minute.

"- See you tomorrow", he heard to his right. A woman with her coat on and a bag on her shoulder crossed the hallway while the teen was hiding in a dark corner. He decided to follow her, as she was very probably heading to the exit. After a few turns, she ended in front of an elevator. Shinichi let her go up and then, after one last glance to check his surroundings, called the elevator and went back hiding while waiting for it.

_"Come on, faster..." _ he prayed_._

At the "ding", he rushed to the door, noticing too late it wasn't empty.

Without believing his eyes, he recognized Bourbon face who smiled back at him and welcomed him with a punch in the stomach. Shinichi fell on his knees trying to catch his breath, holding his ribs.

"- Kudô-kun, glad to meet you at last ! When I heard you decided to pay us a visit, I could resist to see you face, _little _Tantei-san_"_, Amuro grinned, bending to him with a mocking look.

Alerted at the way the man had said "little", the detective looked back at him with fear in his eyes. _"He knows"._

* * *

><p>Kaito finally took a shower and was drying himself when someone knocked on the door.<p>

"- Can I come in ? " Saguru asked from outside.

"- One sec', unless you're into naked men... " The Thief smirked, grabbing his underwear and a clean trouser.

"- ... I'll pass," The detective's bored voice answered.

A towel on his hair, the Kid opened the door on Saguru, who lifted a first aid med-kit in front of him.

"- What's that for ?" He raised a brow at the blond-haired.

"- Let me have a look at your back.

- It's just bruises you know..." Kaito sighted, starting to ruffle his hair with the towel to dry them.

"- We both know it's not," Saguru stated, sweeping aside the Thief's objections. "Sit."

After the detective patched him up and a pair of painkillers to stop the throb from a bump starting to appear to the side of his head, Kaito had to admit he was now looking quite better than one hour before.

"- Ok, I could get us a few men for tonight operation" Okiya announced the teens. " They'll be ready in 3 hours, sorry it can't be shorter, they need to gather the material. I also sent a friend to keep an eye on Hattori-kun and Nakamori-san at the hospital. I'm perhaps over thinking things but it is safer, as they are now known of the Organization. She'll be transferring them to a secured area of the hospital.

- Good idea, we can never be cautious enough with those men it seems..." Saguru nodded at the green eyed man. "In the meanwhile, we'd better go and convince our guide next door then."

* * *

><p>"- It's us again" Kaito said, opening Agasa's door after a knock.<p>

"- Welcome back ! " they heard from the kitchen.

"- Any progress ?" Saguru asked to the professor as he spotted him.

"- Go and see by yourselves, she's in the lab."

The 3 men went down the stairs and Kaito opened the door. An auburn-haired woman was here, in dark trousers and an assorted blouse, working on her computer.

"- It took you forever to come back..." she complained, turning her chair to them.

Both teens were staring at her with surprise.

"-Haibara-san ?" Saguru guessed, getting a nod from the teenage girl.

"- So, what do you think of our guide ?" Kaito joked, turning to Okiya who just passed through the door, "gives you the will to follow her to hell, right ?"

Before he could even answer, Shiho eyes widened of fear when she noticed the man.

"- What is he doing here ?!" she snapped at the teens. "You've exposed us all by bringing him, you fools ! He's one of T... " She took a few steps back from them.

"- I'm not, Shiho-san, "the man stated with a calm voice.

"- How do you... " Shiho was even more scared than before.

"- Could you guys go out ?" Okiya sighted at her reaction." I promise I'm not dangerous, please trust Shinichi-kun's and Hattori-kun's judgement.

- Uh... "Kaito hesitated, looking at the both of them. "Well, being a master in disguise myself, I can't let that lady alone, just at the moment, above all when she has a face like that.

- I can't oppose to that..." Okiya shrugged. "Well, then I'll explain in front of your bodyguards, Shiho-san.

- Stop calling me like that ! How do you know that name ?

- First, let me take those away." The blond-haired man took off his mask and voice-changer necklace.

"- Moroboshi Dai ?

- This was the name I gave to your sister, yes. And Okiya Subaru was the identity Shinichi-kun and his mother built for me to hide from the Organization. My real name is Shuichi Akai.

- Akai ?" the Kid noted. "The FBI sniper Kudô-kun was talking to during the heist last week ? "

The man nodded at him.

"- Yes, the very FBI agent who manipulated my sister to infiltrate the Organization" Shiho spitted, recovering from the shock." The very one who got her killed for his _mission_. You're just like Them, no wonder you have the same smell !

- I can't express how sorry I am it turned like this, Shiho-san."

Saguru invited Kaito with a sign of the head to go upstairs, now that it was clear no one was in danger and they both climbed the steps as silently as possible.

"- Of course you can't, you destroyed the last family I had ! And look at the result, the Organization is still alive and well, doing their despicable business as if nothing happened ! And you're just hiding, your tail between your legs...

- I'm not hiding, I'm just on another assignment, one someone I cared about gave me.

- What assignment could be more important than destroying Them ?!

- Protecting you.

- What... Wait ? What's this non-sense you're blabbering about ?" Shiho asked, taken by surprise.

"- A few days before being killed, Akemi sent me a text... She knew something was going to happen, I think... She asked me to watch over you in her stead if anything happened to her" Akai said with a sad look. "So once I met Shinichi-kun and knew you were able to escape Them, I had to come here.

- She... That's why Kudô-kun tried to get you in Hakase's house first ?

- I asked him, I had to. Akemi was also someone very important to me, Shiho-san, I want you to believe me.

- Onee-san... " Shiho had tears in her eyes." Leave me alone a moment... please" she asked, trying to keep a straight face but knowing it wouldn't last any longer.

"- Sure."

* * *

><p>"- How did it go ?" Agasa asked to Akai as he came out of the stairs.<p>

"- Now, it's her decision to accept me or not" he shrugged.

"- Want to grab something to eat or a coffee in the meanwhile ? The night will be long. The boys are already at it in the kitchen, it's just sandwiches though.

- Perfect to me."

Akai was finishing his second cup of coffee when Shiho entered the kitchen, some papers in the hand.

"- Leave some coffee for the others," she commented when she spotted him. " And make me some place. I drew an approximate map of the centre, we need to come up with some strategy."

The four of them gave her an interrogative look.

"- I can't afford to lose time to fret about what happened, "Shiho explained. "What's important now it's we got an irresponsible meitantei to save.

- How long left do we have, Akai-san ?" Saguru enquired, turning his head to the man.

"- We meet my team in 2 hours. Let's give that map a look."

* * *

><p>A few instants after being hit by Bourbon, Shinichi heard footsteps behind him and 2 pairs of hands forced him to his feet without care. He recognized the two guards he locked just before.<p>

"- What were you guys doing ? He's just a kid and he escaped you ?" Amuro scolded them. "Bring him back to the lab and sedate him !

- Yes sir !"

Back to the medical room, the teen noticed a man in a white blouse was waiting, very probably for him.

"- Ah", the scientist smiled, "I was wondering where was my new little lab rat. Use the restraints to tie him to the bed, will you ?"

Shinichi tried to resist but only collected a few more hits in the process. Once he couldn't move anymore, feeling defenceless as he was lying on his back, Shinichi saw the medic inserting an IV in his arm and he suddenly felt numb.

_"It can't end like this..." _he cursed, feeling he was losing consciousness,_" with Hattori killed and me finishing like a lab rat without a proper chat with Ran ... I won't accept it..."_

* * *

><p><strong>Hmmm it looks a bit cliffy, ne ? ^^;<strong>

**Sorry ... XD**


	8. Heist Arc - Chapter 8 - Infiltration

**One last chapter of action before one or two calm chapters in the story.**

**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT : As I don't think Valentine Day should only be couple-dedicated, I decided to make you a present and to ****publish exceptionally next ****chapter on next Saturday !**

**Chapter 10 will be on next Wednesday, no changes.**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

**o.O.o**

**Estelle : Mountain-hanger ? I like the idea xD**

* * *

><p>"- This is no child play, you know" Akai pointed out to the teens around him." We'll be outnumbered."<p>

All of them were 2 blocks away from the BO's research facility. The FBI agent had presented them the intervention's team's members, the only agents he had been able to contact that late in the night : 4 men and his boss, James Black. The 5 professionals were busy equipping themselves near of one of their cars, while Akai was checking the last points with the teens near of the other.

"- I'm aware of it" Saguru answered, looking into the agent's eyes.

"- We're all aware of it, FBI-kun" Kaito added using Kid's mocking tone, but his look was dead serious.

"- And you need me" Shiho stated with a bored voice, as if it was already obvious the subject was closed and they'll be all coming.

"- You know I'm going against all my principles," the man sighted, "especially about you, Shiho-san.

- I'm in, whatever you say.

- Ok, well, at least, you will all wear a hood, I don't want any of our faces to be spotted. No discussion.

- So unsexy" Kaito said with a disgusted face. "What will my fans think ?

- As if you had any fans, the crowd at your heist are just passers-by..." Saguru pointed with an unimpressed look.

"- Are you jealous ?" the Thief asked with a smirk.

"- Just put your hoods, both of you " Akai interrupted, as he and Shiho already put theirs. "We go in 10 minu... " He stopped, feeling his phone vibrating in his jacket. "Call from the hospital" he explained, taking off his hood and stepping a bit away. " Yes, Jodie ?"

After a few minutes, the FBI agent came back, with a serious face.

"- What's up ?" the Thief asked.

"- Aoko-san arm is alright, it's twisted, not broken, she should recover in 1 or 2 weeks.

- And Hattori-kun ?" Saguru enquired, feeling the problem might be there.

"- Apparently, he was shot at point blank range with a high calibre gun... Even with the bullet proof vest, important damages to the rib cage were done. Add to that the loss of blood from the previous wound which re-opened... The doctors seem to say the next 12h are critical. "

Concern could be read on all the faces as they all fell silent at the news.

"- Once again, we can't do anything about it... Let's focus on the current mission" Kaito said, interrupting everyone's dark thoughts. "I don't want anybody else hurt today, above all when this mess is my fault...

- The only one's fault is the Organization" Shiho pointed out, shaking her head at the Thief's self accusation." Let's go and save Kudô-kun. Will you provide us with any kind of weapon or protection ?" she asked, turning to the FBI agent.

"- Bulletproof vests and guns with silencer" Akai stated, opening the nearby car's trunk." Try not to hurt yourselves or anyone of our side with those, it was hard to convince James to let you carry weapons. And Shiho-san, I want you behind me every minute of this operation. Time to equip !"

* * *

><p>"- Ok let's go" James said to the strangely assorted group in front of him. "Good luck, gents ... " he turned to Shiho... "and lady. And don't forget, our goal is to be fast and silent : we retrieve the hostage and then rush out as soon as we can. Stay packed as much as possible."<p>

They silently moved to the building's door and Akai kicked it open, making a sign of the hand to invite everyone in once he quickly checked the insides.

"- The hidden elevator is here" Shiho pointed what looked like an old wall on her left.

"- We won't fit all in there" Kaito noticed, as he saw the elevator open in front of them.

"- That's the only way" the auburn-haired girl explained with a shrug.

"- As this is a dangerous part, I'll go with my men first" James stated with a firm voice, " Akai and you will come after.

- You need to push the 2nd basement floor's button" Shiho specified to the grey-haired agent.

The teens waited for what seemed to be ages until the elevator came back. Once in, they all took out their guns and flattened themselves against the walls when the doors opened underground.

"- Clear" they heard James say.

"- Everything all right ?" Akai asked.

"- Nothing we couldn't deal with" his boss answered, looking at his team hiding in a nearby closet the 4 men they neutralized beforehand."Ok, you 2 stay here, we need someone to protect our exit. Contact us if any problem.

- Yes sir !

- Do you have anything on the radar, Hakuba-kun ? " The green-eyed agent enquired, turning his head to the blond-haired teen.

"- One moment please, I'm switching it on" Saguru stated, putting the spare glasses on his nose and touching their frame to turn them on. "Ok, the signal isn't perfectly clear but I've got something on the right, it looks far away...

- As we guessed earlier, they've put him in the medical wing" Shiho confirmed. "Let's head there."

Akai and another agent were opening the way while James and the last member of the team were closing it, to keep the teens in a safe perimeter.

"- Next turn on the left" the auburn haired said.

Most of them had turned when the first gunshot echoed in the silence. Hakuba, James and his man who were last, rushed behind the wall to protect themselves of whoever was attacking them. Saguru took a glimpse at their pursuers : there were 3 of them, one had a still smoking gun in his hands and his face was familiar but...

"- It looks like we have some mouses here... " he stated.

"- Superintendent Matsumoto ?! " Saguru finally recognized him. "You're.. you're one of them ?

- I don't think I have the honour of knowing you, young man."

Leaving the wall's protection, Hakuba took his hood off and looked back at him.

"- If it's not Hakuba-kun !" the Superintendent smiled in his own twisted way, while Kaito jumped to get the surprise-struck blond-haired back into a safe place. "Hattori-kun, then you, a lot of my colleagues will need my condolences tomorrow.

- You're the one who... ?" Kaito began from behind the corner, clenching his fists in anger.

" - And I do recognize our Kid Thief's voice ! It looks like a lot of my problems will be solved tonight" RUM grinned, as if he really was enjoying himself. " Who are your other friends ? I'd like to have some introductions at least !

Taking his gun out, James looked at Akai.

"- Go first and look for Kudô-kun" he whispered, "Howard and I will buy you time with those men.

- Roger.

- I'll stay with you" Saguru volunteered. "That man is dangerous, we'd better be three."

The old man looked at him, sizing him up and nodded to signify his agreement.

"- Be cautious, that man is crazy..." Kaito asked his friend.

"- I always am. Now, you find him" He gave the glasses to the Thief.

* * *

><p>Akai, his man and the Kid followed Shiho for the last turns to the medical wing's door.<p>

"- There shouldn't be anyone here at this hour, as this area is used by researchers only" she stated.

"- Ok then, I let you guard this door, Jones" the sniper told to his man, "it won't take long.

- According to the radar, I think the signal comes from the 4th room on the left" Kaito announced.

The three of them walked silently to the door and the agent positioned himself on its side, the teens on the other. He counted to three with his right hand and tried to discreetly turn the knob but it was closed.

_"A job for me"_ the Thief thought with a smile and, after pointing at himself with the hand to the others, he got his tools out and started immediately to pick the lock.

Once he finished, he gave a bow to Akai with a move of his arms to the door. "And here you go."

Kaito lifted his head up when, hearing the door opened, he also noticed the unpleasant noise of Akai cocking his gun's trigger. He wasn't prepared to was he saw.

* * *

><p>The door led to a small room, with a clinic bed in the middle of it. Shinichi was tied to it with the bed's restraints and was unconscious. His shirt had been cut to allow various electrodes to be put on his torso, connected to the monitors around him. He was also linked to some drug pouch trough an IV in his arm, this precise IV being in the left hand of a man with a blouse, while the right one started to push the content of a syringe into it. Feeling this wasn't good, Kaito quickly shoot one card to cut the IV-line and another that sent the syringe out of the medics hands.<p>

"- Go away from him" Akai growled. The man obeyed, lifting his hands in the air. Shiho rushed to the bed and carefully removed what was left of the IV.

"- It's too late" the scientist pointed with a bitter smile.

"- What did you give him ?" she asked, worry in her eyes.

"- Consider him as dead. Did you think I didn't hear you trying to open the door ?

- As a scientist, I can't believe you would kill the only one who lived after taking the APTX" Shiho objected. "What did you gave him ?

- If I can't have him, what's the use of keeping him alive ?"

Bored of the researcher's lack of answers, Akai tackled him against the wall, his weapon pointed at his throat.

"- Will you answer the lady ?

- I gave... I gave him enough heparin to kill a horse."

Still holding the medic, the sniper turned to Shiho, who was already rushing to the drugs' cupboard, her face clearly concerned.

"- Help me, Kuroba-kun, we're looking for vitamin K.

- What's heparin ?" he asked while searching another cupboard.

"- Anti-coagulant. You cut the IV quickly but I don't think it'll be enough.. He'll bleed to death without the antidote... Crap... It looks like there isn't anything... On your side, Kuroba-kun ?

- Nothing either, just plastic tubes... " he answered, disappointment in his voice.

She turned to the medic with a threatening look.

"- With or without menaces, you won't find the antidote here, we don't have this kind of drug in here", the man pointed, an annoying smile still on his face as the FBI agent let him go.

With anger, Shiho threw her fist in his head. The man fell to the floor, knocked out.

"- We didn't need him anymore" she explained at the two bewildered faces looking at her, rubbing her hand. "It's almost too soft...

- We are the good guys, remember ?" Kaito pointed, surprised by the gesture of the scientist and seeing she was hesitating to do more.

"- Well the "good guys" should take their leave now" Akai decided." And, from what I understood, we should bring Shinichi-kun as soon as possible to an hospital"

Shiho nodded and started to take away the electrodes on the teen while Kaito untied the restraints.

"- How do we wake him up ?" the Thief asked as the detective seemed quite asleep.

"- Let's see... " Shiho looked at the drug bad which was linked to the IV. " It's a short time sedative, he should wake up by himself very soon, since his body doesn't receive the drug any more.

- In the meanwhile, can you two carry Shinichi-kun ? We can't wait for him to wake" Akai stated, starting to give looks outside the room to check their way out.

"- Ok to me.

- Just one sec" the Kid asked, removing his bulletproof jacket. "Better have him wear this, he needs it more than I do."

The agent nodded and, while the Thief put the vest on Shinichi, the teen started to move.

"- Tantei-kun ?" Kaito gently called.

Shiho came closer and saw the detective was blinking back to consciousness.

"- Welcome back" she said with a small smile, while helping him to sit on the bed.

"- What happened...?" Shinichi wondered with a feeble voice, holding his head with his right hand as he felt the room was turning around him.

"- Don't try to move too fast" the girl advised. "You've been drugged, take it easy.

- This voice... Haibara, is that you ? Who are the others ?

- Well under these unsexy hoods we had to put on our heads, you'll find Akai-san, Haibara-san as you found out and your humble servant, Kuroba Kaito.

- That's... quite the rescue mission" Shinichi noticed, looking a bit shocked." Haibara ? I can't believe it...

- Don't worry, I will charge you later for that" she smiled under her hood.

"- Do you think you can walk ?" Akai enquired. "I don't want to rush you but the longer we stay, the harder it'll be to escape."

The teen tried to get up on his legs but they shook under him and Kaito had to grab his arm for him not to fall.

"- Don't worry, we will help you." the Thief stated, putting Shinichi's arm around his neck.

Shiho went to support him on the other side and the four of them left the room, Akai opening the way, gun in hand.

"- How did you find me ?" Shinichi wondered while they were walking to the medical wing's door.

"- Hattori-kun sent us to Haibara-san and Akai-san. With their help, we found you thanks to the data on the card and those glasses" Kaito replied, pointing at his bespectacled head.

"- Hattori ?" asked Shinichi, his face darkening," is he... Matsumoto said he killed him.

- He's in bad shape but alive, Kudô-kun" Shiho assured.

"- That's a relief..." Shinichi closed his eyes, giving his thanks to whatever Kami he could think of. " Wait a sec, I need my hand" he asked, opening his eyes and leaving his arm off the girl's shoulder to wipe his face. "Nosebleed ?"

Shiho's eyes widened when she looked at him.

"- Ok, go faster guys, he needs to be treated NOW.

- It's just a nosebleed ! " the detective tried to calm her down, as he didn't understand why she was so upset.

"- Kudô-kun, you've been given a lethal dosage of anticoagulants and we found nothing to treat you here so we need to bring you to the hospital or you'll die. Take that handkerchief and put pressure on your nose.

- We also have another problem" Akai stated as he made them stop with his free hand." Jones isn't guarding the door anymore. "

* * *

><p>Kaito left Shinichi under the auburn-haired teen's care and took out his card gun. The FBI agent pushed the door with care and felt more than he heard the gunshot hurting him to the left shoulder.<p>

"- Akai-san !" Shiho worried at his painful grunt.

Amuro had a triumphing grin at the name.

"- That's a nice hood you have there, Akai" Bourbon mocked, a gun in the hand.

"- Rei-kun..." the sniper said, holding his bloody shoulder against him, unable to use his gun anymore.

"- I knew if they caught Kudô, you'd come to free your _little _friend... I was so much expecting meeting you tonight !

- That's a pity you decided your intelligence should be wasted on an old grudge" the FBI agent sighted with a pained grimace. "As I previously said, I don't want to be your enemy.

- But you are already mine. Blame yourself, as nothing would have happened if you didn't let _him _die" he stated with a mad look, once again pointing his gun at Akai.

"- Don't forget me !" the Kid pointed, shooting a card which made Bourbon let go of his weapon and hold his hand in pain. In the instant of surprise Amuro had, Akai saw an opening and properly knocked him out with a high kick. He turned to his man who was lying on the floor but there was nothing left to do for him, as he'd been headshot. He took the man's gun on the floor and gave him to Shinichi.

"- You may have some use for it, as you're a good shot. Let's go" he sighted, with a last look at his man. "Tsk, he had to hurt the left side..." he added, more for himself, taking his own gun in his right hand.

"- What do we do of him ?" Kaito asked, giving a head sign at Bourbon.

"- We can't take him with us, it'll be for next time" Akai shook his head as he remembered the man's madness. "Let's get out of here.

- Ok, this way, then" Shiho pointed with a sign of the hand.

"- I can walk alone now" Shinichi told her as she wanted to go back to supporting him. "I feel the effect of the sedative is fading. Go in front with Akai-san and find us a way out"

She looked at him. His nose was still bleeding heavily and he had been forced to use his sleeve since her handkerchief was already soaked.

"- You don't look good " she stated with concerned eyes.

"- I thought you didn't appreciate me only for the looks ?" he joked, even if he felt he wasn't at his best just right now. The girl rolled her eyes at him.

"- Don't push yourself"

He nodded and they were going again.

* * *

><p>After a few turns, they started to hear gunfires, coming from where they let the rest of the team.<p>

"- Hakuba-kun ! " They could hear James's worried voice spurt out.

Kaito rushed to the next corner, spotting the unmistakable golden hair of the half-brit, lying on his back in the middle of the hallway, when James and his man had to protect themselves behind a corner due to a sustained fire. The detective's eyes were closed and there was blood on the right side of his neck.

Without a second thought, the Thief jumped in the hallway and fired a mix of bombs and sleeping gas cards toward the men. Taking advantage of the commotion, he rushed to Saguru, who was barely responding.

"- Don't die on me, Tantei-san, I need someone to run after me during my heists !" he worried at the detective's lack of reaction, checking the injury's seriousness and trying to get the teen in his arms back to his senses.

Letting Hakuba go, he felt two enormous hands grabbing him from behind and throwing him on the ground, re-awaking the pain in his ribs.

_"How could that man still be awake with the sleeping gas ? " Kaito wondered as he spotted his opponent._

"- I have a few things to settle with you, Thief" Matsumoto said with a sadistic smile.

As if he didn't weigh anything at all, he lifted the Kid and pinned him against the wall, half knocking him out and starting to squeeze his hand around the teen's throat to strangle him. The Thief's vision was starting to blur when he heard a gunshot near of him. The iron hands on his neck loosened and he fell to the floor, coughing and gasping for air.

He lifted his eyes, to distinguish in the remaining smoke Shinichi lowering his gun, with a worried look.

"- Are you alright ?

- Yes... "Kaito answered with a hoarse voice." Thanks...

- Don't mention it" the detective smiled. He then tried to spot his aggressor in the surrounding mist . "Where did he go ? I'm sure I touched him...

- I think you did... but it looks like he isn't... human.

- Reminds me of Gin" Shinichi muttered to himself.

He held his hand to get Kaito back on his feet but the effort of helping him up forced the teen to lean on the wall, suddenly feeling feeble.

"- You sure you're ok?" the Thief asked with concern. "You're as white as my favourite suit.

- Just feeling light headed..." Shinichi answered with a faint smile." Let's check on Hakuba."

Shiho was already with him. There was blood, but not that much for someone who got shot in the neck, with a bit of luck, no artery had been hit.

"- I don't think anything major has been hurt" she answered to Kaito's worried look.

"- Howard, please carry him and use extra care" James asked his man, who nodded and bent to the teen." We also need to get the cars ready... " He added, more for himself.

They heard him giving orders through his ear-plug to the 2 men guarding the elevator.

"- By the way, where's Jones ?" he asked to Akai.

"- He didn't make it..."

A shadow passed through James's face.

"- Let's move, then."

The team reached the elevator without any other incident and quickly took it the first floor.

"Wait a sec" Kaito said, taking a nearby pipe and using it to block the elevator, " we don't want to have them behind us".

The group rushed to the exit and went through the door, spotting both cars waiting for them, the engine running. They all packed in, teens in one car driven by James, the rest of the FBI in the other and moved off to the hospital.


	9. Heist Arc - Chapter 9 - Epilogue

**And here we are, the extra chapter for Valentine day !**

**Though there isn't a lot of romance in there, sorry ; )**

**Here is the last chapter of what I called the "Heist Arc" (very original, I know :p) and we'll start another Arc next week, Wednesday as usual :3**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

* * *

><p>Shiho entered into Shinichi's room, Akai on her heels, with his arm in a sling. It was still early morning, the teen had just finished his breakfast and was sitting on his bed, watching the sun rising through the window. An IV was linked to his arm, providing him the vitamin K he needed to fight against the anticoagulants he was injected with.<p>

"- You should be sleeping" she scolded with a small smile.

"- I can't, not yet..." Shinichi answered, shaking his head. He then turned to them. " How is that shoulder, Akai-san ?

- The sling is impressive but it's just stitches, I can leave today" the FBI agent shrugged.

"- Good to hear. I'd also like to go back home, I don't even feel I'm sick...

- But you are. How long will they keep you here?" Shiho enquired, coming nearer of his bed.

"- They said 5 days but obviously I can't. In 10 hours, I'm back in my school-grade features" he sighted with a depressed look.

"- That's also why I wanted to see you before leaving. Here is a present for you" she said putting in his hands a bottle of pills. "Since your body is still full of anti-coagulants, we can't have you back to Conan now, it would be too dangerous. So take one of those each time you feel you're going to change.

- Wow, unlimited Shinichi time ? " His face was quite brighter now.

"- But try to take them at the last moment" she added, rolling her eyes at his enthusiasm.

"- Why the last moment?

- You shouldn't take too much. Your little adventure finished to convince me those pills damage the brain, meitantei-kun" she smirked.

"- Haha, very funny..." he answered with a glare at the girl.

"- As to "Conan-kun's" absence, as usual, I'll make up something with Hakase to explain to everyone. Well, time to go" she said after a look at her phone. "Hakase should be here in a minute, he came to fetch us with his car. Take care !

- Thank you... for everything." He said with a serious face, getting in return a nod from the girl.

Shinichi waved at the both of them as they came out and went back to his thoughts, once again laying on his back, his arms crossed under his head on his pillow.

* * *

><p>A few moments ago, once he was settled in his room, Kaito came in, bringing some news about Hakuba. As Haibara diagnosed, the wound was just a flesh wound, he had a few stitches and was to stay in observation for 2 days before going home but that was all. The Thief himself was good with a two or three bruised ribs and a nasty blue mark around his neck.<p>

After they enquired about each other's injuries, Kid also explained everything that happened since Shinichi was kidnapped.

How Hattori could warn them after being attacked by RUM and told them where to find some help.

How they found the east detective, thanks to the work of the strangest team made of Hakuba, Kuroba, Akai and more surprising, Haibara, who helped them, despite her fear from the Organization.

How she also discovered who was really Akai though he still couldn't believe how she seemed to accept it so well.

Even for him, these were a lot of data to process.

The Thief had left him to his thoughts saying he was going to check on Aoko and Shinichi could see his face was worried. Since she was barely injured, he was probably going to have a chat with her about his second identity and that was without a doubt going to be harsh.

He perfectly could picture his stress, as it wouldn't be so different of his if one day Ran discovered his identity. It was Aoko's choice to accept Kaito as he was, or not.

* * *

><p>Kaito took a deep breath and knocked on Aoko's room door.<p>

"- Can I come in ?" he asked with a soft voice.

"- ... Yes. " a female voice answered from the inside.

The Thief entered and closed the door behind him. The lights weren't on but he could spot Aoko, sitting on an hospital bed, her back turned to him. She was wearing a sleeveless top, showing the bandages covering largely her left arm.

"- How are you ?" he enquired, concerned in his eyes.

"- The arm hurts a bit but it should get better quickly as nothing is broken." It felt like she was repeating what the doctor told her.

"- Did They... ill-treated you ? What's with the dark room ?" Kaito dared to ask after a few minutes.

"- Apart from the second call to you, no. My eyes are just a bit sensitive to strong lights as I was blindfolded most of the time but that's all..."

She sighted and turned her face to him. Even with the faint light from outside, he could see her eyes were watery.

"- You know, I had one week where I had nothing else to do but to think about it and I still... Kaito, I want to know everything... from the start... don't you dare forget anything."

He walked through the room to sat near her, his legs outside the bed.

"- I think everything began 6 months ago..."

And he told once again his story, the truth behind his father's death and their double lives.

"-Touichi-jiisan was murdered ?! I can't believe it... "

The eyes she laid on him were sympathetic. Being childhood friends, she also suffered from Kaito's father loss, just as he had suffered from her mother's death. Accepting to lose a parent as a child wasn't an easy task and they had supported each other through it.

"- I'm sorry I lied to you, sorry you were kidnapped because of me, sorry I wasn't here to protect you... This is my vendetta, I hadn't any right to drag you into it..." the teen apologized, unable to look at Aoko.

"- Your father was also someone precious to me, Kaito" she said, touching softly his hand, making him look at her again. "I can't say I don't understand your feelings but it's just so hard to picture how your family lied to my father, for so many years... Tou-san would be devastated if he heard about that, I'm not even sure I want to tell him...

- I wouldn't want you to lie to him for me and I don't think we'll be able to keep it from him." he declared, shaking his head. "My blunders with Those guys put you in danger, Aoko, and will again in the future... I'm sorry but, to put it bluntly, as long as They are on the loose, you will be one of their targets and probably so will be your father.

- I have never been afraid of criminals, Kaito. I've been raised by a cop." she affirmed, raising her chin.

"- Those aren't the usual kind. They're infiltrated everywhere, even the MPD. I can protect myself but I think you will have to hide, at least for a while.

- You really messed up my life, Kaitou Kid." Aoko had a faint ironical smile.

"- It wasn't on purpose, Ojou-sama." The sentence was playful but the Thief's eyes were full of guilt.

"- Wait til that arm is better, I'll give you a taste from my mop !" she joked with a quiet laugh, nudging him so he would be less tense. "Kaito, just promise me. Whatever happens, I don't want any lies or untold things between the two of us anymore."

"- Yes." he answered, looking in her eyes and nodding after a short pause.

The Kid He got up from the bed, heading to the exit.

"- I'm going to check once again on the guys and try to think with them about a way to keep you safe." He stopped midway to turn to her once again, a bit shy. "No untold things, you said, eh ? Then one last confession to you. When you were in danger because of me, I just couldn't stand the idea of you being harmed, it drove me mad... I think it made me realize that... You are special to me, Aoko, and not only because you are my childhood friend." He smirked and straightened up, using Kid's tone. "Rejoice, my dear lady, as you were able to steal the most important possession of the great Thief Kaitou Kid, his heart !" he had a faint blush and then left the room, after one last glance at his beloved's astonished face.

* * *

><p>"<em>Argh, I can't sleep, better go see him" <em>Shinichi decided, opening his eyes.

Luckily, his IV drip was mobile, allowing him to move so he just took a blanket and threw it on his shoulders and headed to Heiji's room. The FBI agent Jodie had had the 4 teens on the same floor, in a secured wing of the hospital. Being in intensive care, the Osakan's chamber was a bit remote but Kid explained Shinichi where to find him.

He sighted when he saw another hospital plate with Heiji's name on it, the second in less than ten days, and pushed the door. He was aware of what he'll see but he wasn't completely ready for it. His friend was surrounded by monitors, and several tubes were linked to him. Air, food, drugs, monitoring. H could tell the use of each but it wasn't reassuring either. The insistent beep of the cardiac monitor was ,as it reminded the teen was alive. His friend seemed peaceful but he still didn't look well, there was a lack of colour spottable even with his dark skin. The teen approached and noticed Heiji's head and chest were bandaged and a few bruises were starting to appear on his face. Shinichi took a chair close to the Osakan's bed and rested his head in his hands. It was so hard to see his energetic and always joking best friend in this state.

_"That Matsumoto... "_Shinichi shook in anger.

He heard the door open and rose his head to see Heiji's parents coming in. Spotting Shinichi near of his son, the Osakan's father rushed to him and grabbed his gown, letting the blanket he had on his soulder fall on the floor.

"- Ya ! Heiji was supposed to rest at yar house, what happened ta him ? In what did ya involve him ?!

- Anata !" Heiji's mother stopped him, a hand on his forearm. "Stop it, he's also a patient, don' ya see ?"

Heizô let go of Shinichi and seemed to notice only now the IV drip and the hospital gown.

"- Sorry ... "he began. "Vitamin K ?" He asked, with a surprised look at the drip," isn't th't a treatment fer acute anticoagulants poisinin' ?

- A little memory from the guys who did that to Hattori... Once they understood I was going to be saved, they tried to kill me with an OD of heparin."

The Osakan officer looked bewildered while his wife contained an outraged gasp.

"- What happened ?" he calmly asked this time, bending to get the teen's blanket and holding it to him.

"- I'm sorry, it's my fault, I wasn't cautious enough... We were helping a friend on a case and Hattori was just supposed to give us some communication support from a safe place he was absolutely supposed not to leave.. But, when I was attacked, he rushed to try and save me... I own him my life. Even if he didn't stop the man to kidnap me, without the effort he did to stay conscious and tell the tale to our team, I'll still be a captive from those guys where only death was waiting for me...

- Any witness ? Who did th't ?

- We know but there isn't any proof, just our testimony as teens and I don't think it'll be enough...

- Who ?

- Please don't be surprised but... It's Superintendent Matsumoto, from the MPD.

- What ? Ya understand the accusations ya're layin' are extremely grave ?

- That's why I'm saying testimonies can't be good enough. But Hakuba and myself saw him, Hattori also I guess. We can't accuse him publicly but I can at least warn you..."

The 3 of them turned their head to the noise of the door opening and were somehow relieved to see a doctor and a nurse go through it.

"- Ah, you must be Heiji-kun's parents ?" The doctor asked with a smile. "Can I speak to you a minute ? In private maybe ?" he added, spotting Shinichi.

"- It's ok, he can stay" Heizô stated with a look at the teen. "How's Heiji ?

- To put it bluntly, the most preoccupying at the moment is that his sternum has been fractured by the gunshot impact, even with the bullet proof jacket's protection... That fracture exerted an acute pressure on the organs below it. The fact the wound he got last week reopened didn't help, due to the additional blood loss it induced... We had to reanimate him once earlier but he's strong, I think the worst is behind us... "

Mrs Hattori curled to her husband, as to protect her from the news. Shinichi's fists were turning white, since he was squeezing them so strongly.

"- So what now ?" the father asked, clenching his jaw to keep a straight face.

"- The last exams we performed attested that neither the lungs or the heart were heavily damaged and we could reduce the pressure exerted on them so he should be awaking soon, probably today. If everything is alright, I'll be removing the intubation later this morning. The next step will be absolute rest and a particular attention against lungs disorder the next months. If he recovers correctly, he'll be out in 10 days.

- That's a relief" Mrs Hattori said with watery eyes, " thank ya."

The doctor and the nurse nodded at them and left the chamber. Noticing Shinichi's white fists and his face, a mix of anger and guilt, Heizô put his hand on his shoulder.

"- Don' fret ta much about it, son" he advised, his eyes falling on his son. "That's who Heiji is, a man capable ta give his life ta shield a friend. Don' destroy his gesture by yer guilt. Instead, be here fer him next time. Now, from what I understood, ya didn' sleep an' this was a long night so go take some rest. I'll make some calls ta start an underground investigation about Matsumoto. I may come back ta ya later.

- Please be careful. And please also call me if he wakes up" Shinichi said, getting up.

"- Of course."

* * *

><p>"- Hey, aren't you supposed to sleep, Kudô ?"<p>

Closing Hattori's door 's room, Shinichi turned his head to the familiar voice of the Thief who called him.

"- I couldn't. Maybe later.

- How is he ?

- It was close but he should be getting better now. Still sleeping thought.

- Good to hear. Come, I walk you back to your room. "

The detective tried to read Kaito's face, to find any clue on how his chat with Aoko turned out but the guy wasn't the Kid for nothing, there wasn't anything more than concern for Hattori in his eyes. They silently walked through the alleyway towards the teen's room, Kaito discreetly adjusting his pace to Shinichi's as he was struggling with his IV drip.

"- How did it go ? With her ?" the teen finally dared to ask when he heard the Kid closing his room's door behind him.

"- Surprisingly enough, I haven't been hit, cuffed or chased with a mop so I guess I should say it really exceeded my expectations." The Thief concluded with a shrug.

"- That's a sweet girl you've got, try not to lose her, Kuroba..." The detective advised with a small smile, sitting on his bed.

"- I know, coming this close was already too much for me." Kaito had a chill. "Apparently, They didn't harm her but I don't think being kidnapped is a good experience for anyone.

- Did she tell you how it happened ?

- Yea, apparently she was at home when a guy knocked at her door, with an official MPD badge, saying her father got caught up in an important case and he'll need some change of clothing but was too busy to call. He proposed to drive her with her father's stuff to the Headquarters and chloroformed her when she got in the car. For the rest, it was mostly her being tied, blindfolded and kept in dark places. She moved once, when Mastumoto took over but she didn't spot anything useful.

- Any idea of who was that guy with the badge ?

- She said the others called him "Bourbon"."

Shinichi's face whitened a bit as his brain started to work at full speed.

_"That would explain how he came so fast to the research centre. But hell, even if his methods were harsh, threatening girls just to come a step closer to the boss was extreme, wasn't he supposed to be an official ?"_

"- Kudô ? You're listening ?" Kaito gave him and interrogative look. "You know that guy ?

- Old acquaintance. You also met him, he's the one who put a bullet in Akai's shoulder.

- Tsk, I would have given him a few more kicks if I knew" The Kid's regretted, an angry shadow crossing his face. "Though I don't think he'd have felt it, Akai knocked him out quite properly." he added with a grin at the memory.

"- Don't underestimate Jeet Kune Do , I think you already tasted his sister's kicks and he's apparently far more powerful than her" Shinichi chortled, remembering seeing Kid being chased by a Sera in panties in the blush mermaid's case.

- Oh, that tomboyish girl was his sis' ? And stop laughing, I know, my mistake, and I think she made me sorry enough not to have spotted she was a girl. " Kaito had an offended look at the detective as he was now laughing wholeheartedly. After a few instants, the Thief couldn't resist and also started to giggle.

"- Sorry, it's just..." Shinichi tried to calm down.

- You're right, I guess I'm taking all this stuff too seriously, aren't I supposed to be _the_ kid in that room ?

- You forgot I'm 7 years old most of the time...

- Well, _Conan-kun_, if you don't mind, let's focus on the main question : how can I avoid to have to go through last week again ? Any ideas ?

- Being busted and having to protect Ran is one of my highest fears so I can't say I didn't give one or 2 thoughts on the subject..." Shinichi had a chill. " As They know your identity, let's be honest, both your relatives and closest friends are in danger.

- I don't worry for my relatives. My mother rose me alone and you've seen how good I'm with escaping" Kaito grinned, a bit proud. " And Jii-chan is quite capable to hide himself. That's all, family side.

- So Aoko-san remaining ?" the detective asked.

"- And maybe her father ?" the Thief added, still a bit unsure of what was the best for Aoko's father.

"- I think we may be able not to have to protect him much. I'll have to check with the FBI but one or 2 agents around his house might be enough, as he's well known for being Kaitou Kid's sworn enemy. For Aoko-san, hmm, with the FBI just here, we should think about the witness protection program...

- Aoko would so kill me if I sent her to the US...

- Yes, I would."

With the exact same move, both teens turned their heads at light speed toward the opened door.

"- Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop" Aoko excused herself, cheeks reddening a bit. "I came to check on Kudô-kun and, well, I didn't want to interrupt but I heard my name...

- That's eavesdropping to me, Ahouko." Kaito scolded her, his tongue out.

"- I think you're quite the one to talk, Bakaito. And you were discussing my future, I think I should have been here !

- Uhm, guys ?" Shinichi interrupted, embarrassed to be in the middle of the couple's quarrel.

"- Gomen... Aoko, can you come in and close the door ? Do you want to turn off the lights for your eyes ?" He added with concern.

"- No, it's ok, it's starting to get better." She walked by Kaito, slightly blushing when looking at him.

"- Kudô, here is Nakamori Aoko." The Kid introduced with a small bow, hands pointing at the girl.

"- Nice to meet you !" The detective greeted with a smile.

- And Aoko, here is one of your saviours from last night, the great and internationally known detective of the East, Kudô Shinichi."

The said teen threw an incredulous side look to the Thief, wondering what all those titles were for.

"-Free of charges" Kaito winked to him with a wide smile.

"- Nice to meet you too and thanks for the help. I'm sorry it ended in you being in grave danger...

- It wasn't your fault, Aoko-san.

- I still feel responsible..." She turned to his friend, her face changing from guilt to anger in a few seconds. " About earlier, what was that nonsense about sending me to the US ?

- Aoko, as I told you, we need to find a way to hide you until the Organization is dismantled." Kaito explained her with a serious look. "I don't want you to be used as a leverage against me by Them.

- And you, what will you do ?

- I know how to hide myself, my past allowed me to have several hideouts. Kuroba Kaito will disappear from the face of the world, only Kid will remain.

- So you'll keep stealing then ?" she asked, with some disappointment in her eyes.

"- I must. I won't stop until I stop the ones who killed my father.

- Then take me with you ! I won't be a burden... Pop me a thief disguise, whatever !

- Aoko...

- Hmm the disguise isn't a bad idea, Kuroba." Shinichi pointed with a thoughtful look. "One of my other ideas was to move in a new house and disguise relatives so they could have a normal live without being recognized. Well, you saw how it worked with Akai-san.

- But who... oh ! One sec'. " Kaito took his phone out and went to a corner not to be heard, whispering furiously. He came back to them with a wide smile. "Want to live with my mother, Aoko ?".

* * *

><p>After both teens left, Shinichi was tired enough to be able to grab a bit of sleep.<p>

He woke up a few hours later and decided to go for a walk. He first visited Hakuba and chatted with him about the last events. The blond-haired was still in pain, the detective could see it, but his wound wasn't incapacitating, he would be out of the hospital fast. Feeling reassured the half-brit was ok, he left and went back in Heiji's room. With a look at his friend, he noticed the intubation had been removed, implying the doctors may consider he'll wake up soon. His parents were still in the room, with tired looks, probably from the exhausting travel and the sleepless night so he suggested them to have a break, while he would watch over his friend.

The teen let go of Hattori's father's newspaper when he heard a groan coming from the bed.

"- Hattori ?" he softly asked as he came nearer of the Osakan.

"- Kudô ?" the teen coughed with a hoarse voice.

"- Wait" Shinichi quickly rose to grab a glass of water." Here, some water. Go easy. Don't try to sit yet.

- So Hakuba did find ya..."Heiji pointed, after swallowing a bit of water. "He can be useful aft'r all... well, that's quite a relief...

- A relief ? What should I say ? I thought you were dead ! And you almost were !

- I never lack ... o' surprises" the Osakan joked with a faint smile.

"- Indeed, the only thing you lack, Hattori, is self-preservation's sense" Shinichi scolded with a straight face.

"- That's who I am... an' ya won' change me... I trust ya would do.. the exact same thin' fer me..." Heiji stated, looking into his friend's eyes. " Now, did ya catch.. that bastard traitor... Matsumoto ?

- I'm sorry Hattori, it's a bit complicated, but he kind of managed to escape.

- Wait 'til I leave this hospital... I'll have his ass ta kick ... an' probly more" he said with an evil grin.

"- Leave some to me !" Shinichi laughed. He looked at his best friend. "It's good to have you back."


	10. RUM's Arc - Chap 10 - Declaration of War

**Heya ! **

**And here we are, in a new arc ! Still no much action in that once since the boys are investigating but we are coming near^^**

**Hope you'll enjoy it as well : )**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

**o.O.o**

**Shinshinjane : here it is ! :D**

* * *

><p><strong>RUM's Arc<strong>**- Chapter 10 : Declaration of War**

* * *

><p>Shinichi's bed was covered with papers : police files, newspapers, notes and a computer was on the top of the pile. The teen was sitting, a file in the hand, soundly asleep.<p>

The detective didn't enjoy being stuck in the hospital the last 4 days : boredom was eating him. The least he could do was to work on the Intel he had and to try to find a way to stop those guys, starting with the ones infiltrated into the police. Kaito brought him the list of the moles they got from the chip and copies of their police file for the ones working in MPD (the detective didn't even dare to ask how he did get these, though it probably implied a disguise, a false officer's badge and the hell of a nerve). Twelve men were working for the Organization in Tokyo's police, all officers, the highest rank being Matsumoto.

"- Hi there, sleeping beauty !"

The detective jumped awake, letting the file he had in the hand fall on the floor. His usual mocking smile on the face, Kaito bent down to give it back to him, while the dark-haired was yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"- Isn't it a bit early to sleep ? It's only 15:32:45.

- Kuroba ? Hakuba ?" Shinichi asked, once his eyes were opened enough to check his surroundings. "I guess I dozed off... How are you both doing ?

- My neck is still stiff" The blond-haired answered with a shrug, "but I should consider myself as lucky as it could have been far worse.

- Oh, that's you being stiff ? Sorry, but I don't spot any differences with your usual self" Kid added with a grin, getting a dark look from Saguru.

"- If my attitude doesn't suit you, you can leave my hideout, you know. Baaya will rejoice having a meal less to prepare.

- So you settled down in Hakuba's hideout in the end ?" Shinichi enquired, a bit sceptical when he was seeing how both of them were picking at each other.

"- Yes, it was bigger... And I won't complain someone's doing the house chores for us." Kaito explained.

"- Since we both had to hide, it was easier to stay together... Though I can't guarantee how long I'll be able to endure living with a thief... Above all this one." Saguru added, pointing the teen beside him with the hand. "It must be my punishment for my previous mistake, I could be walking freely if I hadn't had the stupidity to show my face to Matsumoto in that research centre...

- Yea, even _I_ didn't get busted out of free will" the Thief laughed at the blond-haired, getting another dark look he totally ignored. "And you, getting any better ? Working on the files I gave you, I see ?

- The last blood tests were almost normal. One last test tomorrow, and hopefully, I'm out. " the detective sighted. "And yes, I worked on the files. The MPD moles are 10 male and 2 female officers, between 24 and 55 years old. There's nothing specific in their files that could have pointed they weren't loyal : their joining date and courses have nothing in common but I could spot that, for almost each of them, Matsumoto supported at least once their candidatures or promotions. Speaking of him, did you hear anything about him through your father, Hakuba ?

- Yea, I wanted to warn you about him : I'm afraid he came back yesterday in the headquarters, from what he called "Osaka's holidays with his daughter"...

- That guy got some nerves" Kid sworn with a disgusted look.

"- We did consider that possibility." Shinichi shrugged resignedly. "And as long as we don't catch him red-handed, he has no reason to hide...

- It also seems you did grazed him with a bullet in that hideout" Saguru continued his report. "His left shoulder is hurt, but he apparently pretended spraining it while playing some baseball at his daughter's house.

- Baseball ? With the strength he has, the ball doesn't stand a chance..." the East detective scoffed. "It's me or it's hot ?

- Not really" Saguru answered before having a closer look at the teen. "Though you do seem to be sweating a lot.

- Really ? Crap, not... already..." With a painful groan, Shinichi clenched his chest, feeling the usual throb and burn of an incoming change.

"- Oi, are you alright ? " Kaito enquired with a worried look, getting closer to the bed to help his friend.

"- Yea..." the detective panted, hand still clenched on his shirt. "Could you just give me... the bottle of pills in the ... bedside table's drawer? "

The Thief quickly grabbed it and gave it to the teen while Saguru was preparing a glass of water.

"-Thanks.

- Are you changing ?" the blond haired wondered, seeing the other teen swallow a red and white pill.

"- Yea... The time frame is shorter and shorter, just as Haibara foresaw... It's stabilizing but I need to take a pill every two hour now... I can't even sleep correctly. I never thought I'll say it one day but I'll be glad to be back as Conan tomorrow... The change isn't exactly pleasant and even if I don't get through the whole thing as I take a pill when the symptoms begin, it exhausting for the body, I feel it.

- Well, as you said, it's almost over, we'll have the pleasure to hang around again with Conan-kun pretty soon" the Kid smiled, amused per advance by the many ways he could tease Shinichi as a boy.

"- And it'll be harder to meet as we do" The dark-haired detective pointed with a serious look. "Speaking of meeting, let's go to Hattori's room. I think the four of us should discuss on how stopping Matsumoto now we've got the complete information on the MPD's moles.

- Is it wise to imply him? Shouldn't he be getting some rest ?" The half-brit objected with a worried face."I know his brains can be sometimes useful but we may once again have a hot-blooded reaction like last time and we don't want that without him being fully healed...

- I promised him I wouldn't hide anything from him anymore... But he'll be glad to learn you're concerned about him" Shinichi grinned at the other detective, which made him blush.

The East detective got up and retrieved a few papers from his bed.

"- Ok, let's go."

* * *

><p>"- Come in" Mrs Hattori's voice invited after Kaito knocked on the door. The 3 boys went in, politely nodding hello to the woman. "Good afternoon boys " she smiled. "Oh, I do recognize those faces, the ones of young detectives on a case. I guess it's time fer me ta have a break." The Osakan woman got up with a wink.<p>

"-Thank you" Shinichi said, relieved not to have to find a diplomatic way to send her away as he didn't have one...

As she was about to walk to the door, the woman turned to Heiji with a hard look.

"- I know ya seem ta enjoy it but try not ta plan with them the next time ya'll get wounded, would ya ?

- Hai, Oba-han..." the dark skinned detective had an annoyed look at her when she left and closed the door behind her. "Will you all stop smilin' sillily ? " He gave his smiling friends a wounded beast's look. "An' help me sittin' straight... I can' stand lyin' but she doesn' allow me any other position...

- Aren't you getting better ? " Shinichi asked with concern, helping the teen to adjust his bed.

- I am, I'm just still a bit short breath'd ... but I think it's part o' her punishment ta me ... for bein' able ta find a way ta end twice... in the hospital in such a short time... An' since Tou-san came back ta Osaka... it seems she has the need ta scold me fer the both of them...

- Your father left ?" the East detective noted.

"- Well, bein' an high ranked officer in Osaka's police... he couldn' stay all day here... An' ya gave him some homework ta do... with the list o' the infiltrated agents at his service...

- Did he say what he would do about these men ?" Saguru asked.

- Yea, he'll discreetly re-arrange the missions o' the highest ranked ... til he has enough proofs ta arrest them... The others'll be watched by som' officers who can be trusted... he worked on this with Tôyama-han.

- So we're good Osaka side", concluded Kaito. He turned to his half-brit nemesis. "How about MPD ?

- I called Father on this matter." The blond-haired declared, a bit aback. "The problem is that most of the infiltrated agents are officers so, unless we catch them in the act, we won't be able to act against them.

- For the " caught red-handed" part, I think we can count on Hakase's little gadgets to help us broadcast the whole thing, at least to some trustworthy witnesses." Shinichi promised with a grin. "So the next question is : what bait ?

- I bet if we threaten to leak some info we found... on the card, they'll come runnin'. " Heiji proposed.

"- So I guess I should have a leading part in your plan, as I am the one who supposedly had the micro chip ?" the Kid smirked at them . "Kudô, can you show me again the list of Their agents and their assignments?

- I got it just here." the detective took one of his paper to give it to Kaito.

"- They belong to almost every criminal department", the Thief noted as he quickly read it again.

"- Yea, I see only one place they'll be together" Shinichi sighted.

"- The headquarters ?

"- Yes, as you say, Hakuba" the dark-haired detective nodded. "I see only that place. Ready for the biggest heist of your career, Kaitou Kid ?"

Kaito grinned at him, Kid-style, popping his hat and monocle out of nowhere.

"- MPD headquarters ? I do appreciate the challenge, Tantei-kun. " He said with a small bow. "These fellows seem to enjoy admiring my shows, I'll gladly give them more. But we'll be directing the play this time."

* * *

><p>"- Kudô, can I talk ta you a sec' ?" Heiji asked as the boys were getting out, after finalizing their plan.<p>

"- Of course. See you later !" Shinichi said goodbye to Kaito and Saguru and came back near Hattori's bed." What's the matter ?

- I just wanted ta know what ya did... about the fact the BO knows ya're alive."

The east detective sighted, knowing this question was due to be asked.

"- To be honest, not much. I warned my parents but, being abroad, they shouldn't been high-priority targets. My house may be under a stricter surveillance but Amuro cleared Okiya and he's extra cautious already so no problem there either...

- So the Mouri are left...

- I had Akai put 2 men to watch the office. I'll also bug the apartment when I'm back, so he'll be able to intervene in case of danger.

- Ya sure it'll be enough ?" Heiji worried.

"- Of course, I can't be sure..." Shinichi recognized with a sad look. " I won't tell you I sleep soundly by night but higher protection would be invasive and would attract attention...

- An' about the fact that... Amuro guy seemed ta know about yer... _small_ problem ?"

The detective's face darkened at the thought.

"- I don't know how he discovered it but I think it's more something he guessed by himself than an intel he got from the BO. And he seemed to know for a long time, so why tell it now if he didn't before ?

- That guy seems complicated... " Heiji looked then into his friend's eyes. "An' ya still didn' tell Nee-chan an'... Jii-chan who he's ? Or at least the danger ... he represents ?

- I can't, that would lead to too many questions..." The teen shook his head, getting a sigh from his best friend.

"- I just want ta point that I know how desperate ya are ... ta hide the truth but do ya want ta risk... nee-chan's life fer it ?

- You obviously know the answer to that question, Hattori" The east detective stared at the teen. " I see what you're doing here, I'll give a thought about it.

- That's what I wanted ta hear." Heiji closed his eyes, visibly in pain after all the chatting of the day.

"- Just short breathed, eh ?" Shinichi asked ironically."Didn't we say "nothing to hide anymore" not long ago ?

- And ya, aren' ya tryin' ta hide ... the fact the changes are beginn' ta be ... pretty exhaustin' fer ya ?"

- ... Bull's-eye." Shinichi smiled embarrassingly.

"- As ta me, ta be honest... it's perhaps a bit mor' than short breathed... I feel like there's a damn sumo wrestler... sittin' on my chest 24/7... an' I can' say I enjoy it... Well, the price seems low accordin' ta ... what I heard about my condition when I arrived...

- Did you tell Kazuha ?

- Tou-san warned Tôyama-han since he had... ta leave Osaka but I didn' want her... ta come here... We agreed it was too dangerous... They told her somethin' happened... an' I'll be away a while, that's all.

- You should give her a call, she must be worried sick." His friend scolded.

"- If I call her now, she'll be even mor' worried... Once I'm able ta finish my sentences... in one breath, I'll call her.

- She's so going to make you pay for that." Shinichi grinned at the idea of a Kazuha unable to decide between anger and concern and switching between both, as usual.

"- I try not ta think too much about it..." Heiji softly smiled.

* * *

><p>Conan slipped into his dark blue vest and put his glasses back on his nose, frowning a bit when he opened his eyes again in Ai's lab.<p>

"- Back to first-grader life" He sighted, looking at his features.

"- Welcome back" she grinned when she saw how depressed he looked. "Well, your check up is ok, your tension is a bit high but it is probably due to sleep deprivation.

- I'm almost missing Kogoro-jiisan snoring, I'm so tired of those change's fits ...

- Try and get a good night sleep, should be easy as there's no school tomorrow. You said you stabilized at one fit every 2 hours the last days ?

- Yes... But the changing time turned pretty short. Usually, when I take the 24h antidote, I have half an hour before changing. Yesterday, it was 2 minutes. I hope I won't be resistant to the next pills ?"

He asked, turning his head to Ai, who was scribbling some notes on her memo pad. After a few instants, she deigned to answer to him.

"- You shouldn't worry too much about that, next antidote will be of another kind. Permanent.

- Oh ok... WHAT ?" Conan's mind took a while to assimilate the information.

"- Permanent. Irreversible. Forever. As a detective, those words shouldn't be too hard for you ?

- But that's just great news ! So you did get something out from that card !

- Yes, I did." she smiled at his joy, making him looking like a child more than ever. " The trials I leaded last week confirmed the data I retrieved was indeed the APTX 4869's formula. There also was part of the research I performed on it when i still worked for them. I think in a month work, I'll be able to synthesize the definitive cure.

- Not any sooner ?" The boy asked, a bit aback. "Next week would be...

- I don't even want to hear about another crazy plan you elaborated with your new friends, whatever you're doing, you'll have to go through it as Edogawa Conan." She stated with a straight face and then spotted the detective's surprised eyes at her. "Don't look at me like that, you're not the only one who can think : I've seen the remains of Kid's glider Hakase is repairing, I know you're all going to another stupid act. You put too much stress on your body, it'll take a week or two before the old antidote works correctly again. And, as the two drugs are different, if we want to avoid any interaction, I think a month is a correct period between the two doses.

- Ok, ok, I give up."

* * *

><p><em>"Kid act. Kid act. Kid act."<em> Conan focused once more to get his mind back to his apparent 7 years. After one week as a 17 years old again, it was hard to slip back into a boy's role.

"- Tadaima ! " Conan cheerfully greeted when opening Mouri's apartment's door.

"- O kaeri, Conan-kun !" Ran's voice came from the kitchen so the boy headed there.

When he entered the room, she smiled warmly at him. "Did you have fun at Hokkaido with your parents ?

- Yes, we had a lot of snow !

- I bet, we saw it on the news, there was a snow storm all week" she watched him more intensely." I bet that's why you look a bit white ? Still, next time, I hope your parents will warn a bit beforehand, I was worried not to see you coming back from Hakase's house...

- I'm sorry Ran-neechan" Conan put a guilty face. " Apparently it was really a last minute chance and they didn't want it to go to waste. I tried to send you a text but it seems my telephone bugged...

- As long as you enjoyed your trip..." Ran shrugged indulgently. " Well, wash your hands, we'll have dinner soon.

- Hai..." the boy answered, heading to the sink.

Ran let go of the vegetables she was cutting when she heard her phone vibrating. She frowned when she saw the sender and even more when she read the mail.

"-Everything alright, Ran-neechan ? " Conan enquired as he spotted her face.

"- Not really... It's Kazuha-chan, she has no news from Hattori-kun since Monday so she is turning quite hysterical. Apparently, her father knows something but doesn't want to tell her. She just asked me if she could come over for the weekend since she can't stand quarrelling all day with him about that... Would you happen to have heard of Hattori-kun ?

- Nope, since my phone wasn't working correctly in Hokkaido"

_"Damn Hattori", _Conan thought_, " I told you you had to call her."_He noted to himself to send him a text later.

"- I also tried to call Shinichi but he doesn't answer... I guess he's once again on his "very important case"." She lowered her voice with a sad look."I wonder if I'll see him long enough to answer him one day" she added, more for herself.

"- Ran-neechan ? " the small detective tried to distract her from her dark thoughts as he could, feeling guilty.

"- Oh, sorry Conan-kun, I was daydreaming..." Her phone vibrated again. "Looks like we'll have some company tomorrow." she stated with a smile after looking at the Osakan girl's answer.

"- Oh by the way, we got a new student in class, she's so sweet. Her name is Kanako Aoba, she just transferred. Family problems it seems, she came to Tokyo only with her mother. I invited her here tomorrow so don't be surprised..."

The small detective grinned inwardly at the name. Kanako Aoba ? That was just a mix of some part of Aoko Nakamori and Kuroba... He perfectly knew who was that new student and it was funny to see the 2 girls already made contact. Kaito and him, with Aoko's approval, decided the girl would be living with the Thief's mother, Chikage, so she could make both their disguises every morning. Kuroba-san had moved to Beika's 5th district, where she already had a flat under a false name for "professional purposes" as she liked to say. This way, Aoko would go to Teitan school and, without her knowing it, Conan would be near in case of emergency. They also warned her, in case she met Ran or Shinichi's former classmates, not to say a word about the detective, to keep him safe. As to her father, the FBI explained him the criminal mistook her for someone else, but as long as he was in the wild, she had to be protected. She finished convincing him herself, saying she would call everyday with some disposable phones, so it wouldn't seem too long to him. Aoko didn't feel at ease with lying to her father but she didn't feel he was ready to accept the truth either so she kept it for later.

"- ... Did you listen to me, Conan-kun ?

- Hai ! She sounds like a good girl, you should be friend with her" he commented.

* * *

><p>"- Oh, did you see ?" Aoko asked, pointing at the newspaper on the table, "there's an heist notice from the Kid !"<p>

The three girls and Conan were around the living room table the next day's afternoon, enjoying a cup of tea. Kazuha arrived just after lunch and, predictably, she was a mess, between her anger at her father and her worry about Heiji. Ran did her best to calm her and the Osakan girl was now looking a bit better, though she was still shaking her cup and unusually non-talkative. So "Kanako-chan" and Ran were leading the conversation. Conan had tried to recognize Aoko's features but Kaito's mother had done a great work. Her long dark hair turned into a bob haircut of a light brown color. Her eyes were now green and her face slightly different, with a longer nose and high cheekbones. Her voice wasn't modified but the disguise was already more than efficient to hide her. He noticed she was also trying not to use her left arm, her injury was still probably hurting. Focused on his observation, he couldn't refrain a surprised gasp as Ran's arm circled him.

"- If you like the Kid, let me introduce you his arch enemy ! Right, Conan-kun ?"

She was so close he could fell his cheeks blushing.

"- Yes... I often get back the loot but I never stop him...

- Oh, you're such a brave little boy" Aoko congratulated him. "So you'll be participating in the next heist ?

- Of course ! " the boy nodded, putting a forced smile on his face, trying not to react the "brave little boy" she gave him.

"- Still, this note is quite surprising", Ran noted, letting the boy go back to the table. "The press says his goal is in the MPD headquarters ? Is it a declaration of war to the police ? He has some nerves to directly challenge Superintendent Matsumoto.

- And the message seems to imply he'll be giving back something, a bit like in the Ryouma case..." Aoko added. "Though I don't know what the"12 truths about the darker side of justice" he's planning to deliver are... And who is the one" named after the black thieves of the sea's water" whose secret is supposed to belong?

Conan smiled behind his mug. _"This one is just for you, RUM", _he thought.

"- Are you interested in detectives, Kanako-chan ?" Ran wondered.

"- Oh, my father is... used to be a cop" she blushed. "And he used to follow Kid's heists... Eh, on the press of course."

Conan raised a brow at the girl's hesitations. Well, it was understandable, that was probably hard to forget in one day 17 years defending her Kid-hunter of a father. He just hoped she would get used to it quickly, not to endanger her cover.

"- Oh, my father also used to be ! " Ran smiled. "So the 3 of us are cop's daughter ? It's funny. Though only Kazuha-chan's father is in service anymore. Oh sorry..." she excused herself, noticing her friend's face getting darker as they spoke of their respective fathers.

"- Did you fight with your father ?" Aoko asked before regretting it."Excuse me, I'm being inquisitive, we just met today, I shouldn't..." she added when she saw the Osakan's face.

"- Nah, it's ok" Kazuha sighted. " My ...best friend disappeared, I know somethin' happened an' my father knows what. He just doesn' want ta tell me, he says it's fer my own good... But I'm so worried about Heiji..." Her shoulders started to shake again.

"- Heiji ?" The undercover girl repeated. "Hattori Heiji ?

- Do ya know him ? Know where he's ?" Kazuha jumped on her feet, looking at her hopefully.

"- Ah, it's probably not the same Heiji, right?" Conan interrupted, trying to stop the disguised girl to give any more sensitive information. " Just the same name ? It would be so much of a coincidence !

- But no, he's probably your Heiji : he's got our age and is from Osaka. He was in the hospital !"

_"Crap"_ Conan thought. They did tell Aoko not to say a word about Shinichi but they didn't plan Kazuha and her to meet... Well, now the cat was out of the bag... And he did his best to convince his best friend to call her, so Heiji was also to blame for what was going to happen.

"- The hospital ?! Which one ? Ran-chan, we're goin' ! " Kazuha commanded.


	11. RUM's Arc -Chap 11 - Declaration of Love

**Hi there !**

**Ok, last calm chapter before loads of action : )**

**Sorry for non-Heiji fans, there's once again a lil scene with him but since we won't see him before a few chapters... ****I wanted to have him there a last moment ; )**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

**o.O.o**

**Blossom : Hmm the review was for chapter 3 so if you read more you probably saw there was some AoKai in chapter 9 and far more to go : ). Keep reading ; )**

**ForgetfulDaffodil : As regular as a clockwork, on Wednesdays ! Glad to know you're expecting them ^_^**

**Great : uh you do sound like an regular reader... I guess Shinshinjane maybe ?^^;; Sorry for the confusion if you're not. Well, more chapters incoming, just as planned :D**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 11 : Declaration of Love<span>**

* * *

><p>In a silent dark room, somewhere, a shadowy silhouette was bent on his phone, apparently texting. The faint light of the screen showed a face with a large scar over the left eye. Only one thing could be heard : the phone, and his beeping was strangely sounding like "nanatsu no ko", the old children song...<p>

_Friday, 11:22 pm_

"Couldn't retrieve Kudô Shinichi. He and his family are being protected, probably by the FBI."

RUM

_Friday, 11:25 pm _

"Noted. Our scientists are disappointed by your fault. You may want look for him again. What about the Kid?"

BOSS

_Friday, 11:34 pm_

"Challenged me next Wednesday evening, in MPD headquarters. Apparently was able to retrieve some data from the chip."

RUM

_Friday, 11:41 pm_

"Permission granted to use all ravens available in the building for the mission. He must be neutralized at all cost."

BOSS

_Friday, 11:43 pm_

"Catch or kill?"

RUM

_Friday, 11:46 pm_

"KILL"

BOSS

* * *

><p>Conan used his old good "must go to the toilet" trick to send a text to the Osakan so he could prepare himself to Kazuha's arrival. The girl was half walking, half running in the entrance of the hospital and was heading toward the reception's desk when she received a call.<p>

"... Hattori-san ? Yes, I'm here, where is he ?"

"... Ok, we wait fer ya at the entrance, then."

She turned to the 2 other girls just behind her.

"- Heiji's mum is comin' ta fetch us here. But still, I don' get how ya met him, Kanako-chan ?

- He helped me... It's a bit complicated but he..." Aoko began, a bit embarrassed. " I think it's better he tells you himself, I'm not sure already I should have told you he was here...

- I'm glad ya did, even if it was a mistake" Kazuha pointed with a faint smile.

"- Kazuha-chan ?" Heiji's mother called for her as she arrived.

"- Hattori-san ! Tell me just what happe...

- We'll speak later, in a quiet place." She advised softly with a suspicious look at the people on her left." Please follow me."

She lead the four of them towards an isolated elevator and nodded to the 2 guards each side of it.

"- Guards ? " Ran noted, a bit startled to see they were carrying weapons.

"- When Toyama-san explained Kazuha-chan it was dangerous, it wasn' a joke. Ya should have listened to yar father, Kazuha-chan" She scoled the girl with a serious face.

The woman had a small laugh at the girl's guilty attitude.

"- But well, bein' stubborn isn' necessarily a fault, above all fer a young woman," she finally winked. "As a mother, I'm glad ta see ya're so attached ta my son.

- I'm not... " Kazuha tried to hide her blush behind both her hands but it was clearly visible.

The elevator stopped, opening on a bright corridor, with once again 2 guards.

"- What is that place ? " the Osakan girl wondered at such an heavy security.

"- High security aisle o' the hospital" the woman answered as she led them in the hallways. "The FBI uses it ta protect the important witnesses or agents who need ta be hospitalized.

- The FBI ? " Ran asked with surprise in her voice.

"- Yes" Hattori's mother confirmed. After a few more meters, she stopped in front of a door. "Ok, here we are. First thing, I don' want anyone of ya to say ya've seen Heiji today. It's fer his safety." She then took one of the Osakan girl's arm in her hand and gently pulled it so the girl would face her.

"- Kazuha-chan, I am ok with ya goin' there but I want ya ta promise me ta refrain from touchin' him and ta get him worked up. Try ta keep the scoldin' fer later.

- … Was it that bad?" Kazuha asked, her eyes widened in fear while Aoko had a guilty look, feeling it was partly her fault.

"- Yes. But he's out o' danger now. Well, go in." She turned to both other girls and Conan."As ta us, I think it's better if we wait outside fer the time bein'."

* * *

><p>"- Heiji ?" Kazuha called softly, closing the door behind her, a bit afraid to enter further into the room.<p>

"- Hi, Kazuha !" he greeted with a smile. "Well, don' be shy, since ya forced yer way here... come an' grab a seat."

The girl came to his bed and sat on the nearby chair, looking at his friend sitting on the bed in a light green hospital gown, finding him a bit pale.

_"It was bad, his mother said"_ the Osakan girl remembered, impressed by the many devices around Heiji's bed. The dark-skinned detective seemed disconnected from all those, only one IV was remaining. But she still couldn't stop her eyes from getting watery, a mix of joy and sadness, feeling both relieved to see him at last and concerned about what he's been through and probably still was.

"- Hey, don' cry !" Heiji asked, noticing her shaking shoulders.

"- I was so worried" she sobbed, burrying her face in her hands." They told me somethin' happened an' you wouldn' be comin' back fer a while ... I couldn' get anythin' more out of my father but it seemed serious... An' I find ya here, in an hospital room so there was somethin' ta worry about after all !" She raised her head and looked at him with anger, forgetting everything his mother asked. "What happened ? Why didn' ya tell me ?

- Kazuha, it was for yer own safety... I didn' want ta take the risk ya bein' seen here..." Heiji felt a bit guilty, seeing her crying her eyes out. "I know I should have called... I wanted ta but I knew ya'll just rush here an' I didn' want ya ta worry any more... than ya already were ... It seems that part o' the plan failed" he added with a faint embarrasses smile.

"- Not ta worry ?" she rose her face at him. " Yer mother just told me yar injuries were so bad I shouldn' even touch ya!

- Ya know Kaa-san loves ta overact things...' " he sighed, taking Kazuha's hand in his. "See? No harm done. Just avoid hugs fer a while, will ya ?

- As if I'd like ta hug an ahou like ya" she denied, a small smile to him on her face.

"- That's better, that's the Kazuha I know" Heiji pointed when he saw she was lighting up a bit."Yea, ya don' need ta get that upset fer an ahou like me...

- Ya don' understand..." her face darkened as she lowered her head once again. "When I left ya, ya were already hurt an' when ya stopped givin' news, I was imaginin' the worse... An' today I discover by accident I wasn' that far o' the truth...

- I'm sorry... " He excused himself, squeezing her hand to make her look at him. "I won' do it again, ok ?"

She nodded at him and looked thoughtfully at her hand in his, her expression changing from concerned to determined.

"- Heiji... Goin' through all this these last days made me realize... It's been a while I want ya ta know an' if ya really had disappeared, I wouldn' have been able ta forget myself... "

_"Crap, no way out"_ the west detective thought, seeing he was trapped to hear til the end of her speech and he knew where she was going...

"-... I love ya ! " She finished, scarlet faced, looking at his green eyes. "Romantic way" she felt the need to clarify.

Heiji froze, mouth half-opened. Expecting those words and receiving them live wasn't exactly the same thing and he was sure he was as red as she was. But that really wasn't like this he wanted it to happen...

"- Come on, don' let me wait like that, gimme an answer, I start ta feel stupid !" Kazuha ordered after a few minutes.

"- I...

- Ya ... ? " She stared at him.

"- Rahh, stop pushin' me... !" he grumbled loudly, letting go of her hand." As if I'll tell ya... I love ya from an hospital bed, ahou !"

He started having a coughing fit, his body contesting the effort of quarrelling with Kazuha.

"- Heiji ?! Are ya alright ?" she worried, as the door behind her opened on Mrs. Hattori.

"- Calm down, children, this is an hospital, I heard that last "ahou" even from the hallway..." She saw her son visibly in pain and rushed to lower the bed's head so it would allow him to breath more easily.

"-Thanks..." he coughed with a hoarse voice, his fit calming down.

Kazuha filled a glass of water to give it to the teen.

"- I'm sorry... I know ya told me not ta get him worked up and that's exactly what I did...

- I should have known a calm chat was impossible between ya an' Heiji..." The mother scolded, though her eyes were smiling.

"- Nah... That's also my fault..." Heiji admitted He turned to her "want-to-be" girlfriend . "Sorry, Kazuha... I'll answer ya properly... but it'll have ta wait... til I'm better, ok?"

She nodded to him.

"- If ya're done, let's get out, we need ta let him rest." the Osakan woman ordered.

"- Take care, Heiji !" The girl waved the detective good bye, trying to put a smile on her face, in spite of the feelings twirling in her chest.

"- Ya too... Say hi ta Nee-chan an'... K..Conan-kun fer me."

* * *

><p>"- RAN!"<p>

Panting, Conan woke up on his futon, a chill running along his spine at the reminiscence of the nightmare he just had.

Definitively, the incoming heist and the associated battle against RUM were getting on his nerves and feeding the wildest fears of his unconscious. He rubbed his eyes, as to get rid of the last images from his bad dream, a Ran killed by the Organization, and checked the alarm clock. 5 AM.

He crossed his arms behind his head, looking at the ceiling, the silence of the night only being disturbed by the snoring coming from Kogoro's bed. He knew he wouldn't be able to find any more sleep. He had been really tired after last case but he managed to get back the sleeping hours he needed on the previous weekend so, without the tiredness, the events planned for the next day were keeping him wide awake.

He thought once again of the previous days, and the plan the teens and he were setting up. Since the hospital, he had exchanged a few times with the other detectives, even met with Kaito once, when he came to get back his glider by Agasa, as the inventor repaired it for him.

Saguru implied his father in their project, so they would have all the necessary accesses to the MPD's headquarters. He was also the one who would ask Takagi, Sato and Megure to act as witnesses, on the advices of Conan. Mr Hakuba had been given essential information, though the most sensitive one, Kaito's and Conan's hidden identities had been kept silent.

If everything went well, all the infiltrated agents would be lured in there, Matsumoto included, and they would all be stopped that night.

_"If everything went well..."_

* * *

><p>The MPD headquarters were fully lighted and an heavy crowd was already waiting outside. The police had several choppers browsing the sky, circling around the building, their strong spots directed to the roof.<p>

"- Look at that, They even have choppers ! " Aoko pointed as she lifted her head to the sky.

"- And there are so many lights, it looks like the night never fell..." Ran observed, impressive at the significant resources deployed to catch the Thief.

"- Ahh, but isn't it perfect ? Kid-sama will be shining in his white suit in the spotlight tonight !" Sonoko was already rejoicing in advance.

The Suzuki's daughter had invited Ran to come to the Kid's heist with her, hoping, as always, to be able to spot her favorite thief. Since Kazuha came back to Osaka, following for once Heiji's requests, Ran was a bit bored so she gladly accepted and decided to ask Kanako if she wanted to join. The girl also joined, looking quite thrilled to go to the Thief's performance.

"- Ran-neechan, could you please let go of my hand ? " Conan asked, a bit blushing.

"- It's not really safe, Conan-kun" she pointed with a motherly look. " There are really a lot of people, I don't want you to get lost.

- But I thought I could go and say hello to Hakuba-niichan. I promised I would ! "

Ran rolled her eyes but didn't insist, knowing the boy's love of his various detectives and policemen "nii-chans".

"- Ok... But promise me you won't annoy anyone or end up in anything dangerous, ok ? I know you're Kaitou Kid's nemesis but tonight is different. He's attacking the police, so there will be many people to chase him, I don't want you to disturb them in their work, right ?

- Haaaai" the boy childishly answered, happy to be allowed to go so easliy.

"- And keep your phone close.

- Yes! Can I leave now ?" He gave her his best pledging look.

On her nod, he sneaked through the crowd and headed towards the building entrance, looking for Saguru. He spotted him actively speaking with his father, near a police truck.

"- Hakuba-niichan !" he called, from behind the police's security cordon.

"- Oh, Conan-kun ! " the teen recognized the kid after lifting up his head. "Let him in ! "

The policemen obeyed his order and let the small detective ran to the blond-haired.

"- Let me introduce you to my father" he said, presenting with sign of the hand a plump brown-haired man with a moustache. "Father, here's Edogawa Conan, the one who has been in touch with the Kid for us.

- Oh, you're that brave child who dares to defy the Kid ?" the high graded officer stated with a warm smile."You're starting becoming famous here, you know ? Being Mouri's assistant and all.

- I am ? " Conan gave him his favorite childish smile, shyly blushing a bit. "it's all thanks to Kogoro-ojisan, you know, he's so good to solve the cases !

- Yes, I guess his career wasn't with us the police but as a detective... He's grown quite nicely since he left us. You also want to be a metantei later I bet, Conan-kun ?

- Yes !" the boy answered enthusiastically, hiding the dull look he had on his face a second ago as he had to present himself as Kogoro's apprentice.

"- Ahh youth " he laughed. "Well, my dear Saguru was as excited as you when he was your age... Though maybe not as brilliant or famous as you already are...

- Stop it, Father... " Saguru interrupted while Conan tried quite poorly to hold a smirk. "Come on, Conan-kun, we should take our leave. Call us when the time comes, Father.

- Sure thing, son."

* * *

><p>Both boys isolated themselves , out of reach of any unwanted ears.<p>

"- Nice father you have, Hakuba" Conan pointed with a giggle. "Though it's quite hard to picture you're blood related.

- Physically and mentally, I've taken more from my mother's side. For the best." He added with a slightly disgusted look when he saw his father laughing wholeheartedly with the inspector Megure. "Doesn't he have any decency ? He's the Superintendent General , for Kami's sake..."

The small boy smiled at the scene, hardly picturing Saguru laughing like that one day. Definitively mother-sided, that one.

"- So, Hakuba, anything new ?' He asked, after checking no one was around.

"- Well, as we planned, Matsumoto has been pretty active on the preparation of the heist, saying he had to look after it himself as he had been personally defied. Among the things he required, you will note the presence of a single team whose members he chose being allowed to go into the building during the heist to "avoid giving too many targets to disguise in for the Kid" he said. It sounds more like a firing squad to me.

- I agree" Conan nodded. "Let me guess, the team has 12 members, Matsumoto included, and I know their police files by heart since Kid brought them to me last week ?

- Exactly. All are our infiltrated agents.

- It's half good news, half bad news" the small detective pointed with a thoughtful face."Good for us to be able to catch everyone at the same time but 6 against 12 might be too much for us to handle...

- Yes" Saguru's face darkened. "And, Kudô-kun, that's not everything : Matsumoto also forbid any intervention that hasn't been asked in person, to "avoid fake orders from the Kid as he has the ability to change voices". I think it could be a problem if we need reinforcement or help... Someone will have to come back here.

- And still all these requests make sense in a fight against Kaitou Kid... We can't oppose to those. Well, it's too late to go back now but we'll have to be extremely cautious. I don't want anyone to end like Hattori after our last fight against the guy...

- We should start crossing our fingers then..."

"- If it's not Conan-kun ! " Sato greeted, walking towards the detectives, Takagi on her heels. " Oh and Hakuba-kun also !

"- Sato-keiji, Takagi-keiji, how are you since last time ?" the boy smiled at them.

"- Fine, we should be the ones asking" Takagi pointed with a serious face. "Sorry once again for our lack of attention... Is Hattori-kun alright ? He didn't seem at his top that day.

- He was alright... Don't know any much more, I haven't heard from him since that day" Conan stated with a shrug.

_"Sorry guys, but as long as we don't know what Matsumoto told the Organization, we can't take the risk anyone to know he's alright..."_ Conan thought, giving a connivance look at the half British who was also aware of this policy.

"- He must be working on an important case, he is a detective after all" Saguru added. He then had a glimpse at his pocket watch. "19:44:56, we should be going by now, what is Father waiting for ?."

Conan gave him a dull glance before rising his eyes to the sky. _"Who the hell tells the time to the second ?"_

He shook his head and followed the 2 officers and the teen to Hakuba's father.

* * *

><p>The Superintendent General got them in without any comment though there may have been one or 2 raised brows at the strange team he had with him - 3 officers were alright but a teen and a boy, that was surprising. After taking the elevator, he walked them towards the media room on the last floor. There were several rooms in the building they could have used but they chose that one as it was the closest to the roof, which would allow to intervene quickly if Kaito had any problem up there.<p>

Saguru's father closed the door behind them and unexpectedly lose his usual smile.

"- Please take a sit" he proposed with a gesture at the chairs around the table in the middle of the room. He himself sat to front the 3 officers "I know my request probably surprised you, even if you were polite enough not to mention it. Let me explain in one word. Mole."

The three officers looked at him with bewilderment.

"- Here ? In the MPD headquarters ?" Takagi asked, still trying to clarify what he heard, unable to believe his ears.

"- Exactly. High ranked ones" the old man answered with a serious look.

"-Does it have anything to do with the strange note from the Kid ?" Sato observed after a short pause.

"- It has all to do" the chief nodded, giving her an encouraging smile.

"- Did you identify who was the mole, sir ?" Megure enquired with concern.

"- MoleS, as there are several of them. My son and a few friends of his were attacked by one of these moles. They also found out a list of the 11 other infiltrated agents in the MPD and the 8 in Osaka's police.

- You're saying we have 12 moles here? " the female officer wondered, astonished by the important number he announced. "How is it even possible ?

- You just have to place an high ranked officer" Saguru explained to her. "And have him support the others' applications."

Megure's face enlightened as he understood and darkened again at the thought.

_"Looks like we have a winner"_ Conan grinned to himself, after seeing the inspector's reaction.

"-Are you implying the high ranked we are speaking about is Superintendent Matsumoto ?" he asked, unsure.

"- Yes, Megure-dôno... As impossible as it may seem. He's the one who hurt my son and almost killed 2 of his friends. He's also kidnapped 2 other persons."

Saguru rubbed his neck with a grimace at the memory.

"- I can't believe it... " Sato shook her head incredulously.

"- That's why we're here tonight. Some of the victims were related to Kid in some way and he agreed to help us, thanks to Conan-kun here, so we could lure and catch the infiltrated agents. This whole operation being tip toeing the line, I needed it to stay extremely secret. You will be asked by the internal affairs to repeat and describe everything you'll be witnessing tonight, is it alright to you ?"

As all three nodded, the old man got up to switch on the 6 screens on the wall and they showed different view of the roof.

"- We will receive the image through the choppers' cameras and will record it here. As to the sound, well, if you don't mind, Conan-kun.

- Yes ! " the boy also got up and put one of Agasa's speaker near the control panel of the screen. " The Kid has a mike on him so we'll be able to listen to what he says and hears. Just one thing : he asked to switch off your phones as it could trigger some interferences in his device and it could get him to be spotted..."

Everyone did as asked.

"- Please also consider anyone outside this room to be a potential enemy" Hakuba's father stated. "Only Matsumoto's team should be in the building and you know what to expect from them.

- 19:59:32" Saguru announced.

_"Let the show begin"_ Conan thought.


	12. RUM ARC - Chapter 12 - Face to face

**Here we are, a bit of action : )**

**The chapter is short but I had to stop somewhere and the cliffhanger would have been even more important if I stopped after so... A short one today, a longer next week ; )**

**It's also a bit angsty, things are starting to turn more serious, sorry for those not into it ! :p**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

**o.O.o**

**Wow so many reviews / followers / favourites this week, thank you! It definitively gives a warm feeling ; )**

**Opal spirit : Nope, no big changes, I was already happy with how this chapter turned out on the first try : ) Glad you like that KazuHei : p**

**Kameo1 : Oh, another KazuHei supporter, you have a great taste xD ****But yea, this scene is a bit how I see them, a Kazuha a bit pushy and an Heiji unable to accept his feelings, trying to hide behind the "it's not a good moment" excuse... More KH to go later ; ) **

**Silversapphire34523 : Thank you ^_^ **

**ForgetfulDaffodil : No worries, it's good to have some enthusiastic reviews xD**

** Samarth signhal 12 :****Thank you ! ****Yes, it didn't want it to just be "Hey, we've been attacked by MPD Number 2, please arrest him" so I imagined this "funny heist" to provoke him for the officers to witness he's really a traitor. At the end of chapter 11, Hakuba's father only informed them of that fact, it's difficult for them to really believe it yet... Hopefully our MPD officers will be convinced after this chapter 12 :p**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12 :<strong>**Face to face**

* * *

><p>The spotlights on the choppers started to move by themselves, pointing in every direction.<p>

"- Ladies & Gentlemen !" Kid's voice announced dramatically, strong enough for everyone in the crowd to hear it.

All the lights focused again on the roof, enlightening Kaito's white suit while he was bowing to an imaginary public as he seemed to be alone at the top of the building.

"- Always this annoying taste for show, Kaitou Kid" a deep voice stated behind him.

"- Superintendent Matsumoto" The Thief smiled, turning to face to the policeman. "Fancy meeting you here tonight.

- Since you invited me, I don't see anything _fancy_ in that, Kid. So, what is all that mess about ?

- As I previously announced in my invitation card, I'm here to give to the police the names of the 12 infiltrated agents of a malevolent Organization among them. The one you belong to, RUM."

* * *

><p>"- What Organization is he talking about ?" Megure asked, raising a brow under his hat.<p>

"- Shh !" Conan put his finger in front of his lips to point he shouldn't speak.

* * *

><p>"- So you did access to that chip... I'd really like to know how you did that without leaving any trace. Did that Kudô Shinichi helped you, like the other day ?<p>

- He has nothing to do with it. I'll modestly admit I'm gifted with IT, that's all." Kaito gave him his best poker face, exuding insolence.

"- You seem to have many qualities but none is useful for your survival. They just pile up to give me more reasons to kill you" He stated with an evil grin. He then touched his earplug and ordered "Shoot him".

Just above them, in one of the choppers, a sniper pressed his weapon's trigger.

* * *

><p>All the faces were focused on the screen, seeing the Thief falling headfirst to the ground.<p>

"- Wait, he just what ? The Kid never hurts anyone, he doesn't even carry a gun, why did he order that sniper to shoot ?" Sato wondered, her face full of incomprehension.

"- Shouldn't we go there and check ? " Takagi asked, waiting for an order from Megure or Hakuba's father before acting.

"- It won't be necessary..." Saguru assured them with a faint smile, "He wouldn't be the Kaitou Kid if he wasn't able to escape this".

* * *

><p>Taking his gun out, Matsumoto approached slowly to check the motionless body and, after turning it with his foot, spotted a label "FAKE" pinned on what should have been the face.<p>

_"Crap, a dummy" _he cursed, quickly glancing around.

"- Once again, you failed killing me, _RUM-chan_" the Thief stated with a derisive tone. "Though I would appreciate if your men stopped digging holes in my cape, it is starting to look like a patchwork" he deplored, looking at the white cloth on the floor.

"- You act all mighty but wait until I can lay a hand on your girlfriend again, Kid, you won't be so cocky then...

- You'll never find her." he said with a determined look, coming out of his hiding place to glare at Matsumoto.

"- Have you forgotten the Organization I belong to ? An international criminal society so powerful we were able to infiltrate the highest ranks of the police ? Politicians, artists, scientists and influent personalities work for us. Ok, you're right, I may never find that girl but I wouldn't have any use for her. Your crimes and the legacy created by your father stop tonight, Thief.

- I won't be so sure for mine if I were you... But what I know is that your legacy just ended here, Superintendent. Right now, everything you're saying is being broadcast and recorded. Thanks to those gents up here... " he explained before pointing at the choppers with his hand "...they even have a movie."

Matsumoto's eyes widened in surprise before he quickly composed himself again.

"- So that's what our little chat was about..." He shrugged, with a slightly annoyed look. "I just have to destroy the evidences and the witnesses along it... The images are broadcasted, you said ? The media room then ? "

Kid let a quick worried expression go through his face but, as fast as he'd been to regain composure, the Superintendent, looking for any reaction, spotted it.

"- Thank you" He grinned and once again touched his earplug "Team B, head there. Kill everyone in that room. Destroy all proofs.

- Oy, did you hear that ?" Kid warned, speaking through the badge hidden on his vest." Bad guys incoming, take cover."

As he was talking, Kaito saw Matsumoto speaking again in the earplug but just caught the last word " ... intervene"

"- I think it's time we settle this, man to man" the Superintendent said, holstering back his weapon and taking a combat stance.

* * *

><p>The policemen in the room all took out their guns at the same time.<p>

"-Takagi, come with me " Sato ordered as she headed to the door.

Both officers went to each side of the door, back to back, fingers on the triggers, watching out for any movement coming from each side of the hallway. Megure also came closer to the exit, ready to help both his colleagues while Hakuba's father stayed behind, keeping an eye on the two boys.

"- Come here and stay behind me " he ordered.

Conan obeyed and retrieved his adhesive speaker on the way, so there wouldn't be any proof implying him or Agasa if they had to leave the room quickly. He was now trying to follow both the action in the media room and on the roof, thanks to the transmitter in his glasses.

"- Two coming from the left ! " Takagi spotted, taking cover as he was getting a few random shots as an answer. Sato came on his side and shot towards them.

"- One down" she stated, also taking cover.

"- If they were only 2, we can deal with the last one" Megure commented. "Drop your weapon and we won't harm you !" he shouted to the man.

After what seemed ages, they heard a loud thump. " Ok, I did it" he declared.

"- I'll arrest him " Takagi volunteered.

"- Careful, it could be a trap, I'm covering you" Sato said, her hand on her gun's grip.

The male officer threw a glance on the left side, to see the man hands up, his gun on the floor.

"- Push your gun towards us with your foot and then on your knees, hands crossed behind your head." he ordered firmly.

After a quick check to verify the man obeyed, he went out of the room, his female colleague just behind him. As she was turning, she caught a movement in the corner of her eye.

"- Takagi, back inside ! " She shouted, pushing him towards the entrance.

Hearing some gunshots behind him, the policeman turned at her, to see her fall to the floor, motionlessly.

"- MIWAKO !"

Without thinking, he jumped to retrieve her and carried her back inside while Megure started to shot to the right to cover him, where three other men appeared. The shootout stopped as fast as it began but, as the inspector glanced to the left, to check Takagi was inside again, he noticed the last man on that side had retrieved his weapon.

"- Let it go !" he ordered. "I don't want to have to shoot..."

As an answer, the man pointed his gun at him and he had no other choice than to shoot, aiming for the agent's shoulder.

"- Two down" He darkly stated when the man fell with a grunt. "Three to go. How is she ?" he enquired, eyes still guarding the right side.

The three others came to help Takagi, who was still holding Sato in his arms, his face worried to tears. As Conan approached, he noticed the female officer had been hit by at least two bullets to the chest, clearly implying she needed immediate medical attention.

"- It's better to let her lie down" Saguru pointed with a soft voice.

As Takagi let her go, though it was visible it was hard to him, the teen crouched, removing his vest to put it under the female officer's head.

"- We need some medic "he declared with concern in his voice after a quick check, as he removed his scarf and used it to apply pressure on one of the injuries. "The other wounds seem superficial but I can't see the exit point of the bullet that went through her stomach, she could be having an internal bleeding.

- One of us needs to go at the entrance of the building" his father said with an annoyed look. "No help will come if we call... Damn those orders from Matsumoto, we need to ask it in person."

* * *

><p>Matsumoto threw himself at the Kid with all his might, the wound on his shoulder already forgotten and, as agile as he may be, Kaito understood he wouldn't be able to avoid the man's punches for a long time. With his cape full of holes, using the glider wasn't an option so the Thief's only way out was through the building. As he was getting to that conclusion, eyes and body focused on the infiltrated agent, he avoided his hits while gradually stepping in the roof's door direction.<p>

After avoiding a few more punches, seeing the exit was just a few meters away, Kid threw a smoke bomb and jumped to open the door while his aggressor was coughing in the fumes. He was still holding the handle of the half opened door when he spot two shadows inside and, before he could even react, felt two small darts into his right leg. His vision blurred as he felt an electrical charge go through his body, forcing him on his knees on the floor with a grunt due to the intense pain. The two men, probably the ones who received the "intervene" order Mastumoto gave beforehand, came out the staircase, weapons in the hand.

"-Taser... ?" he groaned with a faint voice when he spot the item in the hand of one of his opponents.

"- Exactly" Matsumoto answered, before punching Kaito's face, sending his hat and monocle flying. The Thief fell on the ground, barely grasping to consciousness.

_"I definitively hate your plans, Kudô..."_

* * *

><p>Understanding the Thief was in danger, Conan took advantage of the apparent calm and the fact their aggressors were on the opposite side of the roof's door to rush out of the media room.<p>

"- Conan-kun, where are you ...?" Megure tried to stop him. "Takagi, after him, we can't have a boy running in the hallways with those guys out !

- But... " he threw a look at Sato, her hand in his, still lying on the floor.

"- We'll look after Sato-kun, just go !

- Yes sir !"

Takagi hurried after the boy, weapon in the hand, as Megure shot a few times to divert the attention of their opponents who were starting to appear again. He succeeded in touching one of them by pure luck but paid for it, as a bullet ended in his left leg. He threw himself into the room and stayed on the floor, holding his wounded limb.

"- I'll take care of them." The superintendent said, going to the door as he saw the inspector wasn't able to guard the entrance anymore.

"- Are you alright ? " Saguru inquired, noticing the man was hurt.

"- It's just a scratch but I won't be able to stand for a while.

- Then could you come here and apply pressure on Sato-san's injury in my stead ? I may be able to help in another way."

Megure crawled to reach them and took the bloody scarf the blond haired used to compress the woman's wound. Hands now free, Saguru retrieved Sato's gun and got up to help his father.

"-What do we do now ?" the teen asked with a low voice.

"- As long as those two are in the corridors, we are all in danger and we can't bring a medical team here..." his father whispered back.

"- So we need to catch them ?

- Yes, I can't see any other way. Once we've neutralized them, we can go downstairs and get some help.

- Ok." Saguru agreed.

"- Megure-dôno, can we let you look after Sato-kun ?" the Superintendent asked, raising his voice a bit louder.

"- Yes, sir. But please be quick... For her." He was clearly worrying about the female officer he considered as his daughter.

"- We'll do our best." he guaranteed. "I'll lock the door with my master key once we leave, it's not much but it could slow down your unwanted guests if there are some."

Megure nodded to his superior. "- Good luck" He added, to Saguru and his father.

"- Let's go, son."

* * *

><p>"- Take his vest off and hold his arms."<p>

Half conscious, a trickle of blood running over his right eye until his chin, Kaito felt cold as he was having his vest removed unceremoniously and two pairs of icy hands grabbing his arms to put him back on his feet. Matsumoto slapped the teen to awake him completely, stopping when the Thief opened his eyes again.

"- Here we are, Kaitou Kid, with me overpowering you once more... As I said before, your legacy is ending tonight. There's only one question left for you... " Matsumoto concluded, taking his gun out and holding it to the teen's left shoulder, just next to the bullet proof jacket. "Where is Kudô Shinichi ?

- Who ?" The Thief answered with his best insolent smile.

The Superintendent returned his smile to him but it was far more threatening. "- I'm so glad you answered this."

And he pulled the trigger.

* * *

><p>Conan's face turned white when he heard the shot... <em>"Faster !"<em>

"- Conan-kun, wait for me, it's dangerous ! " Takagi shouted, still trying to keep up with the kid who was running at full speed through the hallways.

* * *

><p>Kaito couldn't hold back a cry as he felt the bullet go through in his shoulder. His legs were giving up under him but the 2 men behind him were holding firmly his arms to keep him standing, generating more pain as he was adding weight on his injured shoulder.<p>

"- Next try. Next shoulder. Where is he ?

- Behind you... ready to arrest you... oldie." He forced himself to face him with another insolent smirk on his face, trying to ignore the present pain and preparing for more to come.

* * *

><p>"-Kid !" Conan shouted as he slammed himself against the door to open it, hearing the gunshot and Kid's second shout both through his glasses' transmitter and in the immediate vicinity.<p>

A second later, an high speed soccer ball ended just right into Matsumoto's face, knocking him properly down.

_"I promised I'd kick his ass for you, Hattori."_ He thought, looking at the unconscious form in front of him.

The 2 men, spotting their boss on the floor, let the Thief fall to the floor unceremoniously and got their weapons. Takagi reached the roof at last, gun in the hand, panting to catch his breath when he saw the BO members facing Conan with a threatening glare.

"- Police ! Let your weapons down and rise your hands ! " he ordered, raising his gun and thinking with regret he would never have thought to give that sentence one day to some of his colleagues.

As they turned to the cop, the boy used his watch to neutralize one of them and, seeing the other man was going to push the trigger, the officer had to shoot him down. As Takagi approached to check the 3 men were indeed neutralized, Conan rushed to Kaito, now lying on his side on the floor, eyes closed.

"- Kid, come on, answer me !" The small detective couldn't stop from panicking, as the Thief wasn't reacting to him and the wounds he could spot – a bloody spot on his head and both shoulders bleeding and tainting his blue shirt in a dark scarlet – weren't to reassure him. "Kuroba !" he tried, whispering.

"- Let's keep with "Kid"... when we're in public..." the teen faintly demanded.

"- Kid ?! I'm sorry... It's my fault" the small detective deplored softly with a guilty look.

"- You shouldn't... give yourself so ... much credit... Tantei-kun" Kaito mocked with a feeble voice.

Takagi approached them, noticing with relief that, even if he couldn't hear him, he could see the Thief's lips move as he was answering to the boy.

"- We knocked out 2, the last one is dead. " he informed while crouching near the two of them.

His face displayed the greatest surprise as he saw Kaitou Kid without his usual hat and monocle, expecting some one much older. It was even harder to see a teen hurt like this.

"- Good to know" Conan thanked. He took Kaito's hand in his to encourage him. "Hold on, we'll call some help, ok ?"

The teen nodded to signify he heard the kid, too tired to speak.

"- Takagi-keiji, could you bring me the remains of his cape so I can make some bandage ? And could you call Hakuba-niichan's father so he sends some medical assistance here ?

- Sure. Let's just hope he switched back his phone..."


	13. RUM's Arc - Chapter 13 - Find a way out

**Ok, this chapter is another one with just action... But there had to be some like these to kick RUM's ass, right ? :p**

**I think next week will be a double release, to celebrate the 5000 views, please look forward it ; )**

**Have fun reading, thanks for coming ^_^**

**o.O.o**

**Great : Yup ^^ Well, you'll see once the arc is over (2-3 chapters left I think), if you still feel some stuff are missing, pm me.**

**SilverSapphire34523 : Uh, yea, as I said this arc is soon over but the whole story is made of 4 arcs so we are somewhere in the middle of it, lots of stuff still coming ; )**

**Samarth singhal 12 : This one is longer,****as promised ^_^**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13 : Find a way out<strong>

* * *

><p>"- Apparently his phone is still off... " Takagi grumbled, when he gave the white cape to the boy. "What's that chopper doing ? " He complained as a spotlight dazzled him for the third time since he arrived on the roof.<p>

Having a bad feeling, Conan let go of Kid's hand and used his glasses to zoom on it.

_"Crap..." _he thought, as he identified the man and the woman on board as two infiltrated, thanks to the photos he saw in the police files.

"- Takagi-keiji, help me with the Kid, we need to go back into the building." He said, getting back to his feet. " It's the chopper with the sniper who tried to shoot him earlier !

- What ? How do you...

- There's a time for questions and it's not now ! We need to move and get inside !"

As to support Conan's speech, a bullet grazed the officer's arm, ending into the concrete floor at his feet.

"- Wow..." Boosted up by adrenaline, the policeman quickly grabbed one of Kaito's arms and put it around his shoulder, holding the teen by the waist with his free hand.

"- I'm sorry but there's no other way..." Takagi sighted with guilt as he got a painful grunt from the Thief when he was lifting him.

In the meanwhile, Conan tore a big piece of the cape and pocketed it.

"- Let's go !"

Passing by one of the infiltrated agents, the boy noticed a taser in his belt and, as he had used all his other weapons, he took the electrical gun under Takagi's questioning look.

"- You won't be able to use your weapon since you're carrying Kid. This one is short-ranged but even a child like me can use it." Conan explained, once they locked the roof's door behind them.

"- Do you think there are more of those guys ?

- They were twelve. Even with the ones we neutralized, there should still be some wandering in the building...

- Ok... Well, I think we should try to get downstairs, we need to get out to have him treated. " he proposed, giving a worried look at the panting teen he hold on his shoulder.

"- Yes but first we have to patch him up to stop the bleeding. Can you put him down ?"

Takagi sat the teen against the nearby wall and helped Conan to remove the Thief's shirt and bulletproof vest. Now that he was topless, both wounds in each of Kaito's shoulders clearly visible.

"- Could you straighten him a bit ? I need to see his back" the small detective explained, trying to swallow and forget the fact Kaito was in such a bad shape by his fault, without really succeeding.

The officer obeyed, moving the teen with the most care possible as Conan was checking on his back. The child sighted with relief when he noticed he could see the bullets' entry-exit points.

"- Ok, good thing, the bullets are out. I need to bandage those wounds to compress all this but it won't be pleasant... Kid, still ok to you ?

- Yea..."

Conan expertly wrapped up Kid's shoulders with some parts of the torn cape, trying not to hurt him too much when he was already looking like hell. As to him, the Thief was fighting to stay awake and not to groan as the small detective was treating his wounds.

"-Where do you learn all those things..." The cop commented, more for himself.

He looked to the boy's eyes as he turned to him and opened his mouth to answer. "And don't give me your "I saw it on TV" excuse, what I see here is practical experience..."

_"Damn, he's starting to know me too well " _the boy had a faint smile, looking back at him, a bit amused by the fact the officer anticipated his answer.

"- Sorry, Takagi-keiji but you already have my answer on the subject. You won't have anything else than the one I already gave you in the bombing case of the Tôkyô Tower. " he answered, getting his eyes and hands back at the injured teen.

"- You'll explain in the afterlife ? I'm not in such a hurry going there, thanks...

- Finished !" the boy concluded, wiping his bloody hands on his pants. "I'm sorry, Kid, but we have to move you again.

- For once I... wanted to stay still" he succeeded to joke.

"- Pretty soon, don't worry" Conan said, as he gave him an encouraging smile. "Could you lend him your vest, Takagi-keiji ? He's going to catch a cold, hanging around bare-chested. "

The policeman took it off and the boy helped him to put it on the Thief : it was a bit too big but it made it easier to pass it on the teen. Takagi then lifted him again, as gently as possible, trying not to pull too much any of his arms.

"- Ready to go. " he said, once he had the teen back on his shoulder.

"- Where to ?" Conan asked after taking the taser out of his pocket.

"- There are a dozen steps and then left corridor to the elevators.

- I'll be opening the way." The boy volunteered as he started to go down the stairs, his small hands around his weapon's handle. "Takagi-keiji" he started, a bit worried by the request he was going to have to do, "I know I'm perhaps asking for too much but could you please refrain mentioning anyone this teen is the Kid ? He's not disguised any more but.. you saw him.

- Conan-kun... ?" The boy could feel the surprised look of the officer on his neck. "Why ?

- He's in this mess for me..." Conan turned to him with his Shinichi-alike serious expression, not really suited to a kid." Because I asked him to help us uncovering Matsumoto, it would be unfair for him to be busted because of that...

- You sure understand that, as a policeman, I can't cover for a criminal... " Takagi stopped to look into the small detective's eyes. "Unless you give me a good reason to, Conan-kun ?

- You're quite the obstinate one, aren't you ?" The boy noticed with an annoyed look, but he really didn't have time to waste on this and he needed the policeman's full cooperation." I..." the small detective sighted as he removed his glasses.

"- You don't have ... to do that for me... " Kaito tried to stop him, guessing what Conan was going to do.

"- Oh yes, I do. You've already exposed yourself so much for me, when I cowardly kept hiding behind that facade. Let me share some of the risks.

- Boys ?" the officer wondered, not really understanding what was happening.

"- Takagi-keiji, please do not tell that to anyone but... I'm the high school detective Shinichi Kudô.

- You're... what?! But... But... Shinichi-kun is what... 17 years old ? " The policeman was lost between bewilderment and understanding but apparently couldn't choose yet which one he was going to.

"- Yes, that's my age. Even, if at the moment, I'm stuck as a first-grader. We both know the way I act, even if I try to hide it, can't be one of a 7 years old, right ?" He pointed with an ironic smile. "That's because I aren't. Small boys don't go defusing bombs, do they ?

- I was expecting a lot of things but that... Ok, your face is a bit Kudô-like without those glasses but... Why the size change ? And the link with the Kaitou Kid ?

- To make it short, the change is the result of an experimental drug I was fed with by the ones employing Matsumoto and I needed to keep a low profile to avoid them to go after my relatives. As to the Kid, let's say he's working under cover for me and I need him to be free to bring that Organization down.

- Work for you ? ... That's quite the way... to put it" The Kid smirked.

"- I've always had my way with words " Conan smirked back at him.

He looked at the officer again, noticing he was lost in his thoughts and he'll probably need a long time before sorting them all.

"- I'm sorry to have to hurry you, Takagi-keiji, but we should move before our friends upstairs wake up and begin to try to break down the door. About my request, I'll understand if...

- I'll do it" Takagi looked straight at the boy's eyes. "For the moment. But only if you promise me you'll answer all my questions when we'll be in a safe place. I'll make my decision as to what I believe or not after that.

- I promise I'll give you all the answers I possess, unless they endanger someone else" the small detective nodded.

"- Thanks" the Thief added.

The 3 of them moved forward again and reached the door at the bottom of the stairs.

"- One sec, I go check first" Conan stated, pushing cautiously the door to look on each side of the corridor. "Clear !

- So let's turn left, the elevators are 30 meters away, on the right." The policeman whispered.

They were slowly advancing in the hallway, trying not to push Kaito too hardly, when they heard a loud metallic bang.

"- Definitively upstairs, I guess our friends woke up and are trying to force the door..." the boy pointed. He rushed the last meters and call one of the elevators. "Do you have anything left for a diversion, Kid ?

- I still have my ... card gun and some... smoke bombs.

- I'll take them all." He said, pocketing the taser and coming near the Thief.

"- What do you plan to do ?" the officer asked, stopping near the elevator while Conan was searching in the Kid's trouser's pockets to get what he needed.

"- Diversion. Both of you will go downstairs, I'll play with them a bit so you can escape. I'll catch up with you later.

- This is too dangerous, Conan-kun" Takagi threw a worried look at him.

"- I'm dangerous too, you know" the boy grinned evilly, Kid's card gun in the hands.

"- Button on the side... of the grip to detonate... the cards at will" the Thief specified.

"- Oh, new feature ?" Conan wondered, shooting a card without exploding it in the hallway, between the roof's door and the place they were.

"- As an international thief... I always need to have... the state-of-the-art gadgets." Kaito proudly smiled.

After what seemed ages, the elevator's doors opened with a ringing noise.

"- Take care of him, Takagi-keiji " Conan asked, hands clenched on the card gun's handle, ready to blow the card he threw in the hallway up at the first sight of the enemy.

"- Count on me. And you, be cautious, you promised you'll give me answers after all that, don't try to escape again with your "afterlife" thingy.

- I'll do my best not to disappoint you... " the boy smiled, also not really eager to reach the afterlife that soon. " See you laters, Kid.

- 'Laters, Tantei-kun..."

* * *

><p>Ran frowned at her phone before pocketing it once again.<p>

"- Everything alright ? " Aoko enquired, spotting the girl's worried face.

"- I can't reach Conan-kun, I've tried to call him thrice but I only get his voice mail...

- Let the brat to whatever he's doing" Sonoko said with a bored look. "Ahh, where is Kid-sama ? We saw him only a few seconds... " she complained, theatrically raising her hand to her head.

"- But there were gunshots up there" Ran pointed, still frowning with concern. She sighted and now her face was determined "I'm going to ask the policemen if they saw him.

- I'm coming with you" the disguised girl volunteered.

Kaito had told her not to worry about him during the heists and not to show up too openly but she couldn't help it. He was... She slightly blushed when she remembered their discussion at the hospital. He was taking all those risks so she could go back to her normal life, it wasn't fair to ask her not to get anxious.

"- ... Kanako-chan ?" Ran called, waving her hand in front of the girl's eyes.

"- Oh sorry, I was lost in my thoughts...

- We were saying we were going to head to the main entrance, Sonoko accepted to come as she didn't want to be left alone" the long brown haired teen explained, pointing her head at her friend who was already walking in that direction.

"- You're coming ?" Sonoko asked from afar.

"- Yes ! "

The 3 girls crossed the crowded place towards the Headquarters' front doors and reached the security cordon.

"- I'm sorry ma'ams but no one can come in" a policeman stopped them as he saw they were trying to pass.

"- I'm looking for a boy, Edogawa Conan-kun, I know he came here..." Ran started.

"- Ran-san ?

- Ah, Shiratori-keibu ! " she waved at the inspector who was passing by.

"- Let them in ! It's ok, I'll vouch for them.

- Yes Sir !" the man answered, letting the female teens in.

Once they came near the officer, they exchanged a polite bow.

"- How are you Ran-san ?" Shiratori asked her with a smile. "You came for the heist ?

- Yes, with a few friends as you can see" she explained. "I was also with Conan-kun but he disappeared. He said he was going to meet Hakuba-kun...

- I don't know for Conan-kun but Hakuba-kun was with his father, the superintendent general." He looked a bit around, looking for them. "They came into the building, it seems there are still in there. Look, they are going out, we can ask them if you want. " He proposed after spotting the two men at the front doors.

The four of them headed to meet the officer and his son, noticing they were both looking tired and worried : clearly something was wrong.

"- Shiratori-dôno ! " The old man called as he saw the inspector."There's been a shootout at the top floor, we have several casualties, we need a medical team and an intervention team to support them.

- What ?! I thought the Kid was non-violent ?" Shiratori wondered.

"- No, it wasn't him... " Saguru said, shaking his head. " It's far worse than that.

- Shiratori-dôno, we have a problem" his father added with a serious face. "There are criminals among us : a small group of colleagues turned against us and shot at first sight, Sato-kun and Megure-dôno are injured... Because of that damn order from Matsumoto-dôno, we had to go down to warn you. "

The inspector turned as white as a ghost when he heard two of his colleagues, his friends even, had been hurt. "I'll be personally supervising the preparation of the teams right now, I think ten minutes will be needed... Can you fill me with the details ? "

The girls looked at the two men going away, chatting, and saw Shiratori's usual composure disappear as he was listening to his boss, calling his men at the same time, shouting orders to everyone.

"- Hakuba-san" Ran approached him. "Have you heard from Conan-kun ? I can't find him and he doesn't answer his phone. Don't tell me he's in there...

- Ran-kun" the blond haired detective tried to use a soothing tone. "We switched off our phones, that's probably why you cannot reach him. He was with us but we've been separated. He should be with Takagi-keiji right now, he'll be safe.

- "Should" ? So you're not sure ? You're saying he could be alone in the middle of a shootout ?!" Her eyes widened in fear at the idea as Hakuba wasn't denying it.

"- Ran-kun, please calm down, he'll be ok, he's a resourceful boy, isn't he ?

- He's just 7 years old !" she reminded him, looking at the young detective as if he was talking nonsense. " And the rescue team won't be here before another ten minutes ?!

- That's the best we can do..." Hakuba's father concluded, as he was coming back to his son and overheard the end of the conversation. "Please trust us, we'll get him out safe and sound."

The girl tried to cool herself down and nodded at the policeman. At her distress, Sonoko patted her shoulder.

"- Come on Ran, you know Conan-kun is quite the smart one, he'll be alright", she said with an encouraging smile.

"- Yes, I know... Just let me walk a bit alone to calm down, I need it" she asked her friend, putting her own hand on hers. "I won't be too far", she added, walking away.

_"So much could happen in ten minutes, I need to go and help him!" _she thought, clenching her fists.

The girl walked along the building and, stopping at some point, threw a quick glance behind her to check no one was looking at her anymore. She'd been so many times in that place when she was younger, with her mother, while her father was still a cop, she still remembered every corner of the MPD HQ.

_"I hope it's not locked "_

She pushed the door and smiled when it opened, letting her into the building.

Blinking at the strong lights in the corridors, she waited a quick instant to get used to the strong lightning. Just as if she came to the place just the last day, she headed to the elevators' hall and pushed one of the call buttons.

_" "Shootout at the last floor" Hakuba-san's father said"_, she remembered. _"Let's start there."_

* * *

><p>"- Thanks" Saguru took the water bottle the girl who introduced herself as "Kanako" had been fetching for him.<p>

He was resting, sitting on the stairs, waiting for the rescuing team to be ready to try to join them and find Conan and Kaito.

"- Anytime..."

She was looking at him, as if she was waiting for something, so the detective observed her more intensely.

_"This way to look at you... and this voice... I know both but who..."_ He tried to concentrate.

"_Aoko-kun !"_ He retained himself to call her out loud at the last moment.

He looked a bit around, spotting Sonoko sitting on the stairs a little further with her phone in the hand but there wasn't anyone else.

"- Aoko-kun ?" he asked softly.

She nodded discreetly with a small smile. "-_He _told me not to tell anyone but since you guessed... I won't hide it.

- _His_ mother did a great work." he stated admiringly, looking at any sign that could give up her disguise, without finding one. "It's really hard to spot...

- Yes, Chikage-san is really gifted, just like her son... I wanted to ask..." Her eyes were now worried.

"- About _him_ ?" Seeing she was nodding again, he went on. "We've also been separated... He was with Matsumoto on the roof and..." he hesitated a moment, as he didn't want her to worry more than she already was.

"- The truth please." she demanded with a hard look.

"- Something might have happened up there, I can't picture any other reason for Conan-kun to rush out the room like he did... But I must admit I don't know what.

- Thank you, for being honest".

She tried to keep a straight face but Saguru could see her eyes were watery and she was slightly shivering.

"- You know he's able to get out of the worse situations..." he gently smiled at her. "This time shouldn't be any different... And Conan-kun is on his side this time, they are quite an efficient team together...

- How can a boy be able to defend him against bullets...? " she ironically asked.

"- You shouldn't underestimate that small detective" Hakuba smiled. "Speaking of him, have you seen Ran-kun ?

- No, she walked over there a few minutes ago" Aoko pointed a direction with her hand." But I didn't see her coming back..."

Saguru jumped on his feet, having a bad feeling.

"- No, she didn't..." he said for himself, recognizing the way for a side entrance. "But she looked so worried back there...

- Hakuba-kun ?

- Please stay here, she shouldn't be far away, I'll get her back."

The teen walked to the side door and went in, taking once again Sato's weapon in his hand as he kept it with him, heading to the elevators' hall. As he was slowly advancing this way, he noticed one of the elevators was descending to the first floor so he quickly flattened himself against a wall, ready to intervene. He froze when he recognized the ones in the elevator when it opened with a ringing noise.

"- Kuroba-kun !" he called, coming near the two men, noticing the teen was being steadied by the police officer, looking really pale.

"- He's out" Takagi pointed, getting a better grip on the teen with a grunt.

"- What happened... " Saguru couldn't miss the wound on his friend's face and the rough bandages and barely wiped blood traces visible under the vest on his shoulders.

"- Matsumot... Watch out !" The cop warned, staring at something behind the teen.

The blond haired turned to the direction the officer was looking at, weapon raised, and felt a burn on his left thigh. Ignoring the small bullet graze, he shoot randomly at the two policemen he spotted at the end of the hallway, one male, one female, touching that last one by pure luck. He took cover in the elevator, with Takagi and the Kid, hitting the button to close the doors.

The officer gently sat the knocked out Thief on the floor, back against the metal wall, and took out his weapon. He gave a look at Saguru, showing to him three fingers up for a countdown. The teen nodded, rising his weapon and readying to open the doors again with his free hand.

3...2...1 The last finger went down, and the doors opened directly on the last man.

Taken by surprise as he was expecting him to be further away, Takagi didn't succeed to aim before receiving a punch into the head which sent him on the ground. With another quick move, the well-trained man send a strong high kick to neutralize Saguru's armed arm, flattening him against the elevator. As his face's left side was slammed against the metallic wall and feeling his arm cracking, the teen couldn't retain a pained cry and slid to the floor as his legs gave under him. Unable to move, he couldn't react, seeing the man was bending to finish him off but Takagi, who succeeded to keep his weapon in his hand in spite of the shock, aimed for the man's shoulder as he was still lying on the ground. With a dull sound, he felt on the floor near Saguru who quickly grabbed with his left hand the weapon he let go to finish him off with a hit of its butt.

"- Are you alright ?" Takagi asked, feeling a bit lightheaded due to the punch he just received, wiping the left side of his face from the blood coming out from a wound above his brow.

"- I think my right arm may be broken... " the teen grimaced as he tried to move it. He suddenly remembered why he was here. "Have you seen Ran-kun ? She probably came in a few minutes ago looking for Conan-kun...

- No, she's here ?! Do you know where she was heading to ?

- Probably the last floor.

- I didn't cross her... Conan-kun's here also." the cop worried, getting up. "I need to go back there, we didn't catch them all, they are both in danger.

- I'm coming with you ." Saguru also went on his feet, though with more difficulties, holding his wounded arm.

"- No you won't, not in this state. Instead, please take care of him" he asked with a move of the head at the Kid. He looked at him in his eyes. "Apparently, you know him ? "

The teen nodded, trying to decipher the policeman's expression.

"- So did Conan-kun. He explained me he was just a ... passerby. Please keep it at that."

_"He knows"_ the detective guessed with bewilderment_. "How did Kudô-kun manage to convince him to cooperate... ?"_

"- I will." the blond haired answered, shaking off his surprise. "Good luck. The reinforcement should come in... " he took out his watch from his pocket with his good hand "... 2 minutes 45 seconds. I'll send them to the last floor.

- Thanks."


End file.
